


Catalysts for Kindling

by bewdofchaos



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! - All Media Types, Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: AU-gust 2020, Adventure, Alternate Universe, Banter, Dangerous Situations, Dimension Travel, Feelings, Feelings Realization, Fluff and Angst, Humor, I summon my blue eyes banter dragon, M/M, Puppyshipping in later chapters, Puzzleshipping, they were roommates, too many AUs to tag
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-31
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:02:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 15
Words: 65,314
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25632514
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bewdofchaos/pseuds/bewdofchaos
Summary: In the eight months that Yugi and Atem have been roommates, they have formed a fast friendship over their fondness for coffee, late-night study sessions and video games. But recently, something has not been quite right.When Yugi receives a mysterious parcel, he is sent on an unexpected journey where each new step makes him reconsider everything he ever knew to be true… but mostly his relationship with his roommate.Part of AU-gust 2020! 31 AU one-shots ranging from drabbles to longer pieces, but with the additional challenge of tying them all together to form a cohesive story!
Relationships: Atem/Mutou Yuugi, Mutou Yuugi/Yami Yuugi
Comments: 244
Kudos: 155
Collections: AUgust 2020





	1. Prologue: The Package

**Author's Note:**

> I am known for not backing down from a challenge, so when this wild idea of tying 31 different AUs into a single story was cooked up in a conversation with my awesome collaborator in crime, [auroraXborealis](https://archiveofourown.org/users/auroraXborealis), I knew I had to accept! This is quite possibly the most collaborative piece I will ever write, and the last few weeks brainstorming and coming up with ideas for our fics together has been an absolute blast! <3 Please go check out her AU-gust fic too, [Netflix and Chill](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25632946/chapters/62223448), it's absolutely fantastic!!
> 
> This prologue sets the stage for the 31 one-shot AUs that were posed by the AU-gust 2020 challenge! Haven't heard of this challenge yet? Check it out [here!](https://augustwritingchallenge.tumblr.com/post/621653119656493056/the-list-of-prompts-was-completed-one-prompt-per)
> 
> This should be a fun month! (although it may end up taking me more than a month with the plans I have in store...)

Cover art created by the splendid and immensely talented [Red (Shinayashipper)](https://shinayashipper.tumblr.com/)

* * *

_A package? For me?_

When Yugi stopped to grab the mail in the lobby of his apartment building, he was surprised by an unexpected package. At first, he thought it had been delivered to the wrong address, as that sort of thing seemed to happen all the time in their building. However this time, the box was indeed made out in his name. Yugi scratched at the back of his head in confusion, but picked up the parcel anyways and made his way to his apartment.

As he opened the door, he was buffeted by a blast of air conditioning. It was downright blissful. Even though it was April, it was absurdly hot in Domino City and Yugi was certainly not prepared for it. When he had packed up that morning for classes, he had expected the usual springtime rain. Was he ever wrong!

Yugi hung his backpack on the hook in the doorway and took off his runners, placing them neatly beside the slightly larger black leather boots in the shoe tray. He walked down the short hallway towards the kitchen and became aware of the sounds of blasters and boots running on simulated gravel coming from the TV room. A familiar shock of crimson tipped hair poked up beyond the back of the couch, bobbing and weaving ever so slightly with the movements of the futuristic wartime character on the TV. Yugi shook his head with a smile. Of course he’d be here gaming. Did he even make it to class today?

After his first few years in the dormitories of Domino University, the parties and noise started growing old. In his third year of his studies, Yugi decided to move into an apartment just off campus so he could finally start to pay attention to his studies. That summer, he stumbled upon an ad placed by another student who had been looking to rent out a room in his two bedroom apartment just five minutes off campus. It sounded perfect to Yugi. The promise of a private room in a quiet apartment was too good to pass up. In addition to saving money, he would finally have a nice quiet place to study without distractions for once! Now nearly eight months into their shared lease, he still had not expected to trade one distraction for another.

For such a respectful and somewhat reserved roommate, Atem Sennen sure was distracting. He was a puzzle that Yugi just could not solve. Despite being on the Dean’s list in the Department of History, Atem spent the majority of his time in their apartment gaming. He gamed way too much to be able to keep those grades up. Not that Yugi minded his roommate’s borderline addiction. Being a game design major himself, Yugi often justified his many hours spent at a console as ‘research’. Three days after Yugi had moved in, Atem caught him watching from the kitchen as he played a video game. Yugi still remembered how those crimson eyes sparkled in challenge as Atem offered him the second controller.

At first, all of their interactions were about games or the logistics of rooming together, but as time went on, Yugi found himself seeking Atem’s company more and more outside of their gaming sessions. They started eating their dinners together, chatting about their classes and other things that had happened in their days. Yugi found himself going out of the way to meeting up with Atem after classes. A few months after moving in together, they hosted a joint party with each other’s friends at their place, which was a night that they both still referenced fondly on occasion. Overall, Yugi was elated about his living situation. How lucky was he to have gotten such a good friend out of this!

Sometime in the late fall, Yugi noticed a shift in Atem. At first it was subtle. He seemed a bit more absentminded whenever they would hang out, his head in the clouds all too often. It made Yugi wonder if the stress of final exams had been getting to him. Whenever he asked Atem, he was reassured that everything was alright. Oddly enough, for often being inattentive during conversations, Atem had become surprisingly attentive in other ways. Yugi still could not get over how Atem would surprise him with mugs of coffee during late night study sessions just when he needed them the most. He was the best roommate Yugi could have asked for, and these little acts of kindness never failed to brightened his day.

That Christmas, Yugi had decided that he wanted to do something nice in return. Just before they both left to see family for the holiday season, Yugi had sprung his surprise on Atem. He knew he had hit the mark when he saw Atem’s face as he held that over sized Kuriboh plush. After a moment, Atem pulled himself together and had excused himself. Yugi watched him head to his room with a satisfied smile. He was just about to get of the couch when he heard a door close. Atem had returned with a small box, neatly wrapped in paper adorned with little pine trees and stars. The gift was proffered, trembling ever so slightly in the giver’s hand. Inside was a custom controller that had quickly become Yugi’s favourite.

_Maybe this is another gift? But it’s not my birthday yet…_

“You didn’t order something in my name, did you?” Yugi called out from the kitchen as he inspected the mysterious parcel.

“Hmm? No, I did not. Did something arrive for you?” A baritone voice inquired from the couch, the clack of buttons and the click of the thumb sticks never ceasing.

“Yeah.” Yugi called back, his mind elsewhere. There was no return address on the label, but a familiar company logo was situated in the top right hand corner. “It’s from Kaiba Corp. of all places.”

Buttons stopped clicking and the background music died down as the game was paused for something decidedly more interesting. “That is very strange.”

Yugi could not help but agree. Why would Kaiba Corp. send him something? Maybe it was Mokuba? Despite being only sixteen, the younger of the Kaiba brothers was enrolled at Domino University and was in one of Yugi’s advanced coding classes. They talked sometimes, but did not really hang out outside of class. It could have also been Seto, the eldest of the famous Kaiba brothers. He had hosted a coding competition that Yugi participated in earlier in the semester. Yugi had won that competition… maybe this was a part of the prize package?

Yugi fished out the box cutter from their cluttered junk drawer and took the box over to the couch. Yugi felt Atem shift beside him as he sat down, moving in closer to inspect the package. As they settled, for the first time since Yugi had picked up the package, his attention finally deviated from it. He stared a silent question at the knee that had just inadvertently rested against his. It happened again. This sort of thing seemed to be happening more often than usual. Or maybe he was just noticing it more now. As if responding to the unvoiced question, the knee was pulled back with a jerk.

“Oh, my apologies.” The man beside him murmured. Yugi looked up, catching crimson eyes blink. “I… I was just trying to read the label.”

An easy smile formed on Yugi’s face. “No, it’s fine Atem! The font’s really small. I had to squint to read it myself.”

“You should really listen to me about getting your eyes checked.” Atem laughed, his tension melting as he finally started to smile. Yugi felt himself smiling a little wider.

“Only when you finally get that ankle looked at.”

Atem waved off the reversal with a huff. “It’s nothing, I’m better now.”

“No, you’re not. But I don’t have time to argue. I'm dying to know what’s inside this.” Yugi punctuated the ending of his sentence with a small shake of the box.

His roommate hummed an affirmative and Yugi got to work carefully cutting the tape. Nestled amongst the packing peanuts and bubble wrap was a small curved device slightly larger than a deck of cards. It’s glossy black surface shone as Yugi pulled it out of its protective nest. There were no buttons that Yugi could see and no matter where on the device he touched, nothing seemed to happen.

Atem made a motion to see the device. Yugi watched him take it in his hand, rotating it gently to look at it from all angles. Yugi could see his roommate’s inquisitive ruby irises reflect off the glossy surface. After a couple of minutes, the device was offered back to him.

“I have never seen anything like it.”

“Neither have I." Yugi agreed a little distantly, having already his second interrogative sweep of the device. "I guess I will see if I can pin Mokuba down in class tomorrow and ask him if he knows what it is and why it’s been sent to me.”

“Sounds like a good plan. Was there anything else in the box?”

Yugi fished around in the packing materials, but there was nothing else in there. No note, no instructions. Nothing but packing peanuts.

“Ah, well, I guess not.” Yugi concluded as he got off the couch. He would definitely need to ask the younger Kaiba about this tomorrow. In the meantime, he decided he should put the divide in his backpack for safe keeping.

Yugi made it halfway to his room, still transfixed on the device in hand before he was stopped.

“Yugi?”

“Hmm? What is it, Atem?” Yugi turned around to face his roommate again.

“You already submitted your final project for your coding class, right?” His roommate asked, crimson eyes catching his expectantly.

Yugi smiled. How Atem could remember these little details always impressed him. “Yeah, you’re right. I submitted that today.”

“Well, I thought I may take tonight off and start studying for finals tomorrow and I was wondering if you’d like to maybe order a pizza and, uh, hang out this evening?” Atem offered with a small smile.

Yugi suppressed a chuckle. What sort of question was that? Of course he would like that! “Sounds awesome, Atem. You pick the pizza, I’m just going to put this thing away and join you in a few. Oh, and you don’t always have to order my favourite! Get something else if you want.”

Atem waved him off, fishing his cellphone out of his pocket. Yugi shook his head in mock indignation. He was definitely going to order his favourite again…

Yugi approached his cluttered desk, cleared out a patch and placed the box down. He took one last glance. Then he caved.

“There’s got to be something more to it…” He muttered, reaching out to take the device in his hands again. During his exploration, Yugi tried bending the device, and much to his surprise, he found it rather pliable. It bent and warped in his hand like a soft aluminum. He bent it further until it formed a tight ‘C’ shape, almost resembling a cuff.

“Are you supposed to be some sort of wearable technology? Like a futuristic smart watch or something?” Yugi mused aloud. If it was, it was unlike any sort of wearable he had ever seen. He placed it against his wrist, removing his other hand with a small snort. Almost the instant it touched his skin, his room was illuminated. Circuits of blue and white appeared within the black material, pulsing as if they themselves had a heart beat. Yugi yelped in surprise and went to pull the device off his wrist. As soon as his fingertips touched its surface, the device collapsed further in on itself, fully encasing Yugi’s wrist.

“What is going on…” Panic seeped into his bones as his pulse started hammering in his ear. He tried to force his fingertips under the seam, but the device had sealed itself flush against his skin. He tugged and tugged but the device remained intact and in place.

The pulses of light seemed to grow in intensity as Yugi stared on bewildered. His vision started to swim and the world seemed to shift off its axis. He needed help, and quick. But before he could yell for Atem, the lights flashed once more and then died. The room was silent, still. Yugi stared at the device through dizzy eyes in apprehension.

Maybe it was all over…

Pale blue light suddenly flooded his vision. Then there was nothing.

**Snap.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time to wind down and have a little [Netflix and chill](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25632946)
> 
> [My tumblr.](https://atems-leather-pants.tumblr.com)


	2. Pulled/Pushed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How does one try to gracefully escape being eaten?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 1: Fantasy AU
> 
> I'm going to try to get these out on their respective days initially, but due to my busy work schedule, this is going to get unsustainable after a while. I will finish this challenge though, it just may take a while!

**Snap.**

He dropped to his knees, closing his eyes and fighting the gag rising in his throat. His fingers dug into the soil beneath him, grass tickling between his fingers. Slowly, the world stared to ease, it's disorienting spin becoming more manageable. As the uncomfortable sensations subsided, Yugi started to register a gentle breeze running cool on the nape of his neck and tousling his hair. Fresh air. Yeah, that would help clear his head. He took a few breaths. In. Out. In. Out. Once the worst of the nausea had passed, he opened his eyes.

_Where... Where... Where am I?_

He found himself along a river bank that ran through a sprawling valley. Under the clear blue sky, unkempt grass dotted with wildflowers rippled in the breeze, stretching out in a sea of green. In the distance loomed a rugged cliff carved into a mountainside. The cheery chirps of birds provided a sweet melody to accompany the rhythmic rustle of foliage and streaming water. It was peaceful. Serene. Yet, in stark contrast, Yugi was losing his mind.

He scrambled to his feet, looking wildly around for some sort of sign. A clue about what was going on and where he was. All he saw was green grass where carpet should be and a river where his bed used to be. He had just been in his room!

“I’m dreaming. I must be dreaming.” Yugi reassured himself in a quiet murmur. It was the only explanation that made sense. There was no possible way this was real. He must of fallen asleep, after all, it had been a long day. He spent the next few moments quelling his panic, but despite his best efforts to convince himself that he was dreaming, something felt off with that answer. The breeze felt almost too real.

The last thing he remembered was inspecting that strange device from Kaiba Corp. He remembered holding it in his hand and putting it against his wrist. Yugi looked down. There it was, clamped tight like a futuristic, obsidian cuff against his wrist. He ran his finger around its edge trying to find a clasp or seam, but to no avail. It was flush. He let out a sigh as he tried to slip a finger underneath.

“Well, that’s definitely strange. What is this thing?” Yugi mused aloud. He did not have too much time to ponder the device, though, as he noticed that the birds had suddenly stopped singing. A low rumble took its place, becoming louder by the second. Yugi took a deep breath as he spun to hear something he hoped to never hear again.

A black winged beast approached at a breakneck pace. It dove and banked, aiming its sights directly for Yugi. He froze, eyes wide and locked on the red eyes of the dragon as it approached. At the last minute, Yugi made a haphazard leap, throwing himself into the grass off to the side. The grass whipped around him violently as he pressed his face into the dirt. Just as he dared to peek, he saw a flash of icy white before his eyes as another shriek echoed throughout the valley. Yugi let out a yelp of his own as he pressed his nose hard into the ground.

 _Were those dragons? This has got to be a dream… no, a nightmare. That’s it, it’s just a bad, bad nightmare. One of those night terrors people talk about. It’s got to be, this is really terrifying. There is no way that any of this could be real._ Yugi tried to reassure himself, feeling himself start to shake slightly.

“Alright, Yugi. You can’t lay here forever. Get up and find cover.” Yugi muttered to himself, hoping the pep talk would break him out of his paralysis. He quickly got to his feet, but before he could take strides to run, he stopped dead in his tracks. The spectacle nearly took his breath away.

Two dragons were dancing in the sky, gracefully but none too gently. They loosed attacks at each other, ducking and weaving to avoid blows. Beams of what looked like lightning streamed out of the open maw of the white dragon, while the black dragon loosed balls of fire in retaliation. As the lightning dragon pulled into a dive, Yugi saw what looked like a person harnessed onto its back. A person riding a dragon, in the thick of one of the most terrifying firefights Yugi could have ever imagined. Now that takes some sort of bravery. Or recklessness? Either way, Yugi was sure he did not want to find out. He looked around, spotting a wooded area several hundred meters down the riverbank. He would surely be safer in there than out in the field.

He made a mad dash for the trees just as he heard one of the dragons let loose another cry. The cry was harsher, pained. One of them must have gotten hit. He kept his pace, powered forward completely on adrenaline. Another cry. Closer this time? Another. ANOTHER. One loud, shrill shriek sounded from right behind him. His heart stopped. He looked over his shoulder mid stride to see the red eyed dragon not fifty meters behind him, mouth agape and razor sharp teeth glistening. Before the scream curled in the back of his throat was unleashed, it was torn from him.

A force came crashing into him, propelling him sideways and out of the path of the oncoming dragon. Screwing his eyes shut and letting loose the loudest scream he was capable of, Yugi felt himself falling, falling. He could not stop it. Then cold. His back broke the surface of the water, the weight on his chest finally easing off. He held his breath as he felt the rush of the current pull at him, dragging him like a rag doll in the hand of a wanton child. Yugi blinked his eyes open as he started to thrash against the current, the water stinging his eyes. He managed to surface just long enough to take another breath before he was pulled under once again. Yugi grappled in an increasingly frantic pace, trying to grab onto something to anchor himself or merely keep him afloat. His hand brushed something. Then a hand brushed him back.

His collar was yanked as a second hand grabbed at his torso, balling up in his t-shirt. The hands pulled him against the current and up towards the surface. They succeeded. Gasping and sputtering for air, Yugi weakly assisted the hands of his saviour as he was pulled towards the bank, his runners running the river rocks feebly. The hands never left him. Finally he was out of the water. As he curled up on his side, coughing a few times to dislodge the final drops of river water from his lungs, he raised his eyes to the man panting beside him.

His cream tunic was waterlogged and translucent, clinging against toned skin underneath. His brown leather vest hung limply from his shoulders. He had two long swords holstered to his belt, their hilts dotted with what looked like precious gems. A mess of hair fell into the man’s eyes, briefly obscuring his face from view. A hand raised to run the errant hair back and…

“A-Atem?” Yugi panted. He pulled himself up to sit, staring at a familiar yet startling face.

Crimson eyes narrowed as the man sat back ever so slightly. “How do you know my name?”

Implicitly, Yugi reached out to the man with the disquiet in his eyes, but as he did, a burst of pain stopped him. With a wince, he pulled hand back to grab his side.

“Are you alright?” The disquiet settled, replaced momentarily by concern. “Did you get hurt?”

“No, no. I’m fine. Just a bit sore from… wait, I never thanked you. You saved my life!”

“It was nothing. But you really should take better care.” Crimson eyes bore into him. “I will ask again. Who are you? How do you know who I am? What are you doing out here unarmed and dressed like… that?”

He does have a point. Wearing just a t-shirt and pants in a world where mythical creatures attacked people could be detrimental. But right now, Yugi had something more pressing on his mind. Atem… how did he get here? Why did not recognize him? What the hell is going on? He debated unleashing his own questions in response, as he was just as lost and confused as Atem was. Yugi opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off by a buffet of wind. The black dragon swooped low over the valley again, soaring right over their heads. Yugi clambered back, wincing again as he put weight on his arm. A second gust hit Yugi’s back as he felt the ground shake slightly underneath him. He suppressed another yelp.

“Cousin, what in the Queen’s name are you doing?” A third voice called over in irritation. It was the rider of the white dragon, still atop his fantastical steed, who had landed right next to them. “I saw you dart out and fall into the river. Have you lost your mind?! We have work to do and there is no time for your antics.”

“Calm down.” Atem growled as he stood up. “This man was about to be killed and I could not sit idly by.”

“Your desire to be the hero will be your downfall. You are going to get _yourself_ killed.” The man’s icy blue stare became transfixed on Yugi. “Now who the hell are you?”

Yugi swallowed as he stared at another familiar face. This time, it was of someone decidedly less friendly. He had gone to school with Seto Kaiba and had been on the receiving end of that cold stare many, many times. It was just as he remembered: equal parts intimidating and frustrating.

“Yugi Muto. I’m, ah, just passing through.” Yugi responded as amicably as he could. Those blue eyes did not waver.

“Well, you should do so more quickly. No armor, no leathers… do you wish to die?” the question sounded more like a sneer.

“Lay off him, Kaiba.”

Atem took a couple steps to stand between Yugi and Kaiba, river water dripping off his vest. He shook his head as he stared at his cousin. Seto Kaiba was indeed a talented dragon rider and warrior. His aptitude and leadership skills served him well as one of the premiere knights in the kingdom. But conversely, he could be a real ass. Atem understood that the rogue Red Eyes Black Dragon was a threat to the kingdom’s security, but that does not mean it was right to leave someone so small and unarmed to fend for himself.

Atem glanced back at the stranger, garbed in strange clothing sitting in a sopping heap in the grass. He would not survive a night out here in his state. If the beasts did not get him, his inevitable fever would. Atem bit his lip. His duty was to the kingdom and should really be taking to the skies to help reign in the Red Eyes Black Dragon, but something kept him rooted where he stood. This strange man, the one who knew his name. What is his purpose here? Is he some sort of oracle? Could he be the one to finally…

“Seto, go on ahead. I am going to make sure this man does not become an unfortunate meal. I will join you afterwards.” Atem said quietly, his eyes never leaving the stranger.

On the other side of the gaze, Yugi’s confusion grew. For a moment, he wondered if he had seen a spark of recollection behind those strangely intimidating crimson irises, but as quickly as it came, it was gone. It was so strange and… frustrating to look at someone who he had come to know well look at him like he was a stranger.

A hand was extended in his direction. Yugi took it, allowing himself to be pulled to his feet.

“Hmph. Faster, cousin. The dragon must not go back towards town. I will meet you in the skies.”

The blue eyed man on the blue eyed dragon took to the skies without any hesitation, taking off in hot pursuit of his target. Yugi stared off as the dragon and rider became but a speck of dust in the expansive sky.

“Yugi, was it?” The deep voice was still filled with uncertainty, but it had lost its harsh edge. “I need you to stay here. I have something I need to finish. Then we will find you a safe place to rest and more… appropriate clothing.”

Yugi chuckled at the remark, which only seemed to make the facsimile of his friend frown. “Ok.”

Atem turned to leave, but before he took his first step, he stopped. Scratching at the back of his head quietly in thought he stood there fore a moment before he finally let his hand fall. His hand moved to hover above the hilt at his waist in a moment of hesitation before he finally unsheathed the weapon. He flourished the blade, holding the hilt out to Yugi.

“You have used one of these before, right?”

“Ahh, yeah, yeah! Of course I have.” He most certainly had not. Even though he could tell Atem did not buy his proclamation, the man relinquished the blade anyways.

“Well, this is blade is most effective when swung. Two hands on the hilt like so.” Two hands enclosed his own, their fingers callused but warm. Pressure against his own fingers prompted him to adjust his grip. “There. Hold onto it tightly and try to not let go.”

Yugi swallowed. The hatched brass grip bit into his palm, feeling heavy and almost forbidden.

“I don’t generally let anyone handle my blade. But there’s….” The crimson eyed man trailed off into a beat of silence. When he spoke again, the almost biting tone was back. “Just do not die. Wait for me here, I will return.”

Yugi nodded mutely as the man strode off towards the field. _How strange, is he going to set out in search of this dragon on foot?_ A sharp whistle filled the valley and answered Yugi’s question. His eyes widened as a dragon appeared from beyond the trees, swooping down to land in front of Atem. Scales of teal gleamed in the sunlight as the beast bent his head to nuzzle against Atem’s hand.

“There you are, Timaeus. I wondered if you had left. Sorry for leaving you.” Atem murmured to the dragon. A small puff of air from the dragon’s nostrils made the rider’s hair bob and dance. “Yes, I know you hate it when I do that.”

Yugi could not help but smile as he watched Atem dote on the dragon for a moment, rubbing his scales underneath his jaw as he whispered softly. _He rides dragons too. Amazing._ Yugi remarked to himself.

“Alright, I have to go.” Atem turned to address Yugi once again. “Do not do anything foolish.”

Yugi nodded and watched Atem climb up onto his steed and take to the sky.

_He’s amazing._

* * *

Yugi allowed himself to fall back against the tree trunk behind him. The minutes dragged into hours without a sign of the dragon riders’ return. Yugi fingers wandered restlessly from the across the hilt of the sword Atem had given him to the dragon scale he had found in the clearing. He inspected the teal scale for what must be the tenth time before depositing it back in his jeans pocket. Corralling the dragon must be taking longer than they had anticipated. He wished that there was a way he could have helped, but in this strange place, he did not have all that much to offer.

He shook his head as he recalled the last time he had felt so helpless. It was right before high school. Being as short as he was often made him an easy target for bullies. He had lost many, many lunchtime allowances in his childhood and early adolescence. His hand stopped its fidgeting, his palm coming to rest on the sword’s grip. As much as he tried to fight back, he needed help. Thankfully he had met Joey, Tristan and Tea along the way. He rarely needed their help now, but always welcomed it. Yugi sighed, feeling a familiar frustration mount. He was now back to depending on others to help pull him out of the depths and he hated it. He wanted to be the one who could be there for his friends.

An inhuman cry carrying from a distance away broke Yugi from his thoughts with a startle. To his delight, two familiar dragons appeared in the sky. Yugi got to his feet and waited for the riders to land. Atem and his dragon landed a few meters away, and with a wave, he was beckoned to their side.

“My apologies for the delay. It took longer than anticipated to secure Red Eyes, but now we must return. Is there someplace that you need to be?”

“… No.”

“A man with no purpose?” Eyes narrowed slightly.

Yugi was taken aback by the blunt question. It was a simple question, but in this moment, its sentiment was true. Other than to wait for his eventual wake up from this insane dream, Yugi had little else to do. “I suppose.”

“Well, purpose or not, I cannot in good conscience leave you here to fend for yourself. I insist that you come with us. We can at least provide you with a meal and a place to stay for the evening.”

Yugi heard a huff in the distance but he paid it no mind. “Alright.”

A hand was offered from a top the dragon, expectant crimson eyes finding his.

“Ahh, you mean we are going to leave on…” Yugi waved a hand wildly at the teal colored dragon. A deep chuckle met his ear.

“Of course. It would be a half day’s journey on foot to get out of the valley and back to Arindale. Timaeus can take us there in less than an hour.”

Yugi swallowed, still staring in apprehension at the proffered hand.

“Please do not tell me that you are afraid of heights.” The imploring statement dripped with a challenge so much so that Yugi forgot for a moment that he was talking to a peculiar replica of one of his dear friends. His Atem would often use that tone whenever they would play video games, often hoping to goad Yugi into whatever trap he had set up for him. Yugi could not deny how even hearing that tone made him feel safe. It sounded like home.

“Of course not.” Yugi accepted the hand nonchalantly and was promptly pulled up towards the dragon rider. With a few adjustments, Yugi finally situated himself behind Atem.

“Hmm, that will not do. You need to be closer.” Hands reached back and gently rested on his lower back, pulling Yugi flush against Atem’s back.

“Ah, ok.” Yugi chuckled against his pilot’s back. To his dismay and confusion, his hips were not the only thing to become flush at the unexpected contact.

“Now hold onto me tight. Timaeus is as swift as he is acrobatic.” Atem instructed quietly. He did as he was told, wrapping his arms around the other man’s torso. As he clasped his hands together, he could not help but notice the lean, firm muscle he clung to. His mind absently wondered if his Atem was like this.

The dragon shifted beneath him, wings unfurling to their span. The powerful wing beats jostled Yugi as the dragon readied his take off, causing him to tighten his grip around Atem’s chest. As they hurdled up into the sky, Yugi clinging on for dear life, he felt a rumble beneath his arms.

* * *

Atem gently guided Timaeus into his final descent as he watched Arindale, his home, unfurl in front of his eyes. When he had gotten up this morning, he would have never expected his day to take such a strange turn. First, it was the alert that the Red Eyes Black Dragon had inexplicably escaped during the night that tossed his plans for the day into the wind. Atem had admonished himself, taking personal responsibility for the wayward dragon. Ever since that fateful battle during the Urfell seige a month prior where his childhood friend Joey had been wounded, he had promised to care for his friend’s bonded dragon. Red Eyes was not usually reckless, but ever since his rider was hurt, the beast too seemed to be in pain.

In their hunt for the hurting dragon, Atem had stumbled upon another oddity. His mind wandered to the man firmly clutching his chest, his grip so tight that he could not take a deep breath. He seemed so out of place, unarmed, unprotected, and so filled with wondrous awe at the mundane that Atem could not help but wonder where he was from. He had never seen someone stare at a dragon like that before, like he had never seen such a creature. Usually such naivety and poor judgment would irk him, but this time, Atem could not help but feel a sense of protectiveness. It was all very peculiar.

They touched down in the enclosed dirt lot and in one fluid motion, Atem leapt from atop Timaeus to the ground below. Yugi followed suit, albeit a bit more clumsily.

“First order of business,” Atem started, “is to get you dry clothing. Your outfit is still damp from our misadventure, and I would hate to see you fall ill.”

“That would be great, thank you.” Even though he had dried off considerably during their flight, his jeans seemed to remain perpetually wet.

“It’s no problem. I will go fetch you some clothing while you go inside. If you are hungry, a man inside by the name of Marik should be able to give you some stew. It’s nearly dinner hour and the meal should be ready.”

They parted ways and Yugi went towards the building that Atem had indicated. He entered the expansive single story stone building and eyed the long communal tables that occupied the large common room. People were milling about, chatting amongst themselves while they paid him no mind. He felt his mouth start to water as the aromatic smells of roasted vegetables, rich beef stock and a myriad of spices wafted from the steaming bowls in the hands of people passing by. He felt like it had been days since he had last eaten.

Yugi joined the line and managed to convince the man behind the counter to give him two heaping bowls of stew. Picking a seat by one of the rustic open windows, Yugi tried his first bite. It was quite possibly the best bite of food he had tried in recent memory and it was soon joined by another larger spoonful.

“You may want to slow down. I don’t want to have to save your life twice in one day should you choke.”

Yugi looked up from his meal to see Atem holding a neatly folded stack of clothes under one arm. His windswept hair had been tamed and he looked to have donned dry clothes himself.

Yugi chuckled. Even in this world, Atem seemed to be a worrier. “You don’t have to worry about me.”

“Oh really?”

“You know what I mean! Also here, I grabbed you a bowl.”

“Oh, you really did not have to.” Atem murmured as he sat down across from Yugi, crossing his legs as he got comfortable on the bench.

“It’s the least I can do to thank you for saving my life today.” Yugi pushed the second bowl of stew towards Atem.

“As much as my cousin has a flair for the dramatic, Red Eyes would not have killed you, you know.” Atem said between bites of stew. “Maimed, yes. But kill? Not unless his rider told him to.”

“He’s got a rider too?”

“Yes. His rider is my friend and he is, well, out of commission for the next little while.”

Sensing the sour in Atem’s tone, Yugi felt it would probably be best to not push further. The curiosity may gnaw away at him, but he did not want to impose. Even though this man had the face of his friend, they had only just met. Spooning another bite of meat and potatoes into his mouth, Yugi let the silence hang.

“So Yugi, I am still very confused as to, well, everything about you.”

That made two of them. Yugi had no idea what was going on, if this is some sort of dream or… he could not even fathom what else it could be. Another time? Another world? Another dimension? Atem’s guess was likely as good as his own.

“Honestly I don’t know.” Yugi responded, eyes never leaving his bowl. “I, ah, woke up in that field and I have no idea where I am or what I am supposed to do.”

A hum filled with concern and confusion met his ear, pulling his attention back to the man across from him. “Well, if you need a place to stay, Arindale is open to you for as long as you need.”

“That is a very generous offer. Thank you, Atem.” Yugi smiled.

“You may also want to accept my other offer.” Atem nodded towards the clean, dry clothing deposited on the tabletop. “The lavatories are just beyond the back wall.”

It took Yugi several wrong turns but eventually, he found the lavatories and changed into the dark loose tunic and linen pants Atem had provided. Yugi folded up his own clothes neatly and made his way back to the table.

“Better?”

“Better.” Yugi confirmed. “Thank you.”

“It’s my pleasure.”

As soon as Yugi sat down, the room seemed to shift off its axis, teetering sideways to an alarming degree. Blinking to try to clear his vision, he reached out for the edge of the table to steady himself. His other hand grappled at the table top and found his stack of damp clothes, pulling them close to him.

“Yugi. Yugi! Are you alright?” the alarmed voice of his companion sounded farther away with each passing word.

All he could manage was a groan. Terror gripped his chest. His vision became saturated with a pale blue light, which quickly faded to nothing.

**Snap.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Need more Epic fantasy action? How about you tune in to [Netflix and Chill](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25632946/chapters/62223448)


	3. Chemistry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What were the laws of thermodynamics again?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 2: College AU

** Snap. **

Yugi fell back into a chair, once again fighting a wave of nausea and vertigo as his senses recalibrated. The clothing clutched in his hand fell in a heap to the floor. With a small groan, Yugi looked blearily down at the worn desktop before putting his head down. Never in his life had a dream ever made him feel this way. He cursed at his rolling stomach and pounding head, resting his cheek against the cool surface.

“I wouldn't put your head down there if I were you.”

With an almost imperceivable groan, Yugi looked up to see another face he was familiar with. Standing in front of him was one of his best friends, Tristan Taylor. “T-Tristan?”

“Yeah, that’s my name. And who might you be?”

Yugi blinked as a feeling of unease took root in his chest. Another person he knows that did not seem to recognize him! How can this be happening? He definitely was no longer in that place with the dragons. Tristan was dressed in modern clothing and Yugi could see the students milling around finding their work benches. This place looked and felt like his university campus, but yet, something was decidedly different.

Yugi’s attention was drawn to a collection of intricate and delicate glass work displayed on the work bench in front of him. Erlenmeyer flasks and test tubes were lined up neatly in rows along the far edge of the desk. Rounded glass flasks were suspended by ring stands above Bunsen burners, connected to each other by elaborate glass tubing. Yugi swallowed. He was in a chemistry lab. What was he doing in a chemistry lab?

“Hey buddy, you alright? You’re kind of spacing out there…”

“Oh, right. I’m, ah, just a bit tired that’s all. My name is Yugi Muto.” Yugi said as he rubbed at his temple, finally feeling brave enough to sit up straight in his seat. 

“Right, ‘tired’. You must have had a fun time at the frat party last night.” Tristan snickered, making a vague drinking motion with his hand. Yugi chuckled gingerly in response.

“Well, if you’re gonna puke, at least do it in the can or something. Who knows what sort of chemical reactions vomit could start off in here.”

Without another word, Tristan waved at someone behind Yugi and left him at the bench, alone and confused. He fought the urge to put his head back down on the tabletop.  _ This has to be a dream again. It has to be. _ Although, Yugi had never had a dream so vivid.  _ Maybe this is a fever dream? Maybe I’m just really, really sick. _

“Is this seat taken?”

Yugi looked up from the desktop and his stomach dropped. Another familiar face was peering down at him. His heart nearly stopped.

“Oh! No, no take a seat.” Yugi stumbling over his words as he waved at the empty chair.

“Thank you.” The crimson eyed man sat down, his brown kitting slightly. “You look… ill. Are you alright?”

“Ah, just a little hungover.” Yugi lied. He hated lying, but there was no way that he could even begin to explain exactly why he was disoriented. No one would never believe him. “But I will be fine.”

“Ah yes, the frat party.” he relied with a smile. “I hope you had fun.”

“Ah, yeah, I did.” Yugi lied again. 

“Well, I know I would have had more fun if I had been drinking with you.” The smile slowly grew into a confident smirk. 

Yugi blinked, feeling a flush prickle at his ears as his brain short circuited. _What was he trying to say?_

“I’m Atem Sennen, and who might you be?”

“Yugi Muto.”

“Yugi…” the college student across from him roll the name on his tongue thoughtfully, the deep baritone of his voice making it sound much better than it ever should. “So tell me Yugi, what brings you to chemistry?”

“I, uh, like bonds. And atoms.” Yugi scrambled again, willing his own voice steady and convincing despite the heightening of his nerves and the hammering of his heart. “And I need to complete this course to graduate.”

Atem chuckled. “I also need this as a prerequisite. And what can I say, I like bonds too.”

The flush started to creep towards his cheeks. The way Atem enunciated the word ‘bonds’ was different, deep and full of an unspoken meaning. Yugi suppressed a fidget under the rapt stare. If he did not know better, it was as if Atem was hitting on him.  _ No, that cannot right. Atem would not hit on me, would he?  _ Yet, there he was, smiling an almost damning smirk and talking about bonds, drinks and chemistry. A lump formed in Yugi’s throat. He had never once considered that Atem could be interested in him in this sort of way, but this Atem was giving off all of those signals. Thankfully, he was quickly distracted from the confusing situation as a loud voice hushed the room.

“Alright, take your seats. We need to start the experiment here soon or else it will be difficult to finish during your allotted lab time.” The TA called from the front of the lab, prompting students to scurry to seats and settle in for the lab.

Even though the crowd of students had now settled, Yugi certainly was not.

* * *

Thankfully, when it came down to actually working on the experiment, they were able to settle into a easy rhythm. They huddled around the bench as they worked together through the stepwise lab worksheets. Although their work was mostly silent, interspersed with the occasional simple command or question, Yugi could not help but feel distracted. His mind kept cycling back to what Atem had said before. How he looked at him, eyes drawn and playful. The more he thought about it, the more he wondered if he was indeed being hit on. It made him feel some sort of indefinable way, which was admittedly as pleasant as it was confusing. 

Yugi could not deny that Atem was attractive. Now that he thought about it, with that jawline, that smile and those ruby eyes, Yugi was amazed that his Atem did not have a significant other. In the eight months that they had lived together, he had never brought a date to their apartment. In fact, Yugi had never even heard Atem mention anything about dates or dating. Maybe he did not date? He knew that he could be a bit awkward in certain social situations, so maybe that’s why he had never heard anything about his love life?

This Atem, however, was decidedly less awkward and it was starting to drive Yugi some kind of wild.

Atem’s arm brushed against his shoulder as he reached around him for a graduated cylinder, causing a ripple of goosebumps to bloom on Yugi’s skin. He froze, pencil stalled on paper mid-word. He kept his face down as he willed his blush away. Since when did that sort of accidental contact make him blush? What was going on with him?

“My apologies.” Came the murmur from beside him. “Did you get all of that down?”

“Uh, yeah, I think.” Yugi murmured.

“Good, now we can move on to part three.” Atem announced, a finger coming to rest beside one of the headings of the worksheet to indicate their next experiment. “It looks like we are going to do an experiment looking at thermodynamics for this next step.”

“Thermodynamics?”

“Yes. Observing how the relationships of different types of energy, namely heat. So when we go to mix the ammonium nitrate with water, there will be an exothermic reaction. Meaning, these two chemicals will cause heat to be released as they mingle.” Atem taught, as Yugi found himself suspended in those warm crimson pools. “Be careful when you mix them, it can get hot.”

Yugi was sure he was giving off a lot of heat right now. He cursed internally about his unfortunate ability to blush as bright as a supernova. “Ah, yeah. Right. Safety first.”

The deep chuckle from beside him melted him even further before it undid him completely. “Yes, always use protection.”

Yugi choked, turning away in mortification as he coughed and sputtered. From beside him, he heard Atem’s chuckle became a full laugh. 

“Are you alright?”

“Yeah, great.” Yugi reassured breathily. When he could finally breathe again, he turned back around to see Atem offering him a set of gloves.

“Your protection.” The item was accompanied with a mirthful smile. 

“Thanks.”

Much to Yugi’s relief, the remainder of the lab passed by without incident, either of the chemical or aspiration kind. Their time in the lab had come to an end, and Yugi had just finished washing up his portion of the glassware. As he tucked away the last of the flasks, a question broke their silence. 

“Mind if I ask you a question?”

Yugi stopped. Thankfully, he had managed to keep his composure for the rest of their interaction, but only because he was preoccupied with the experiment. This question had once again alerted him to Atem’s proximity, which had been a strange double-edged sword. The magnetism that had been building between him and Atem had started to make itself known once again.

“Of course, Atem.” Yugi smiled warmly. 

“I’m really liking you style, but I would not have pegged you as a tunic kind of guy.”

_ Oh. _ He looked down and sure enough, the medieval dark tunic he had been loaned was still there, very much out of place amongst the sea of hoodies and jeans he was surrounded by. “Oh, yeah. Right. I had a little trouble this morning and needed to borrow some clothes.”

“That good of a night?”

Damn his smirk. “Oh, n-no not like that!”

“There’s nothing wrong with a bit of bonding, Yugi.” Atem said with a shrug. “Molecules are not the only things that deserve to benefit from the laws of chemistry.”

The flush came back full force. “Ah, no! I ended up falling into a… small pond this morning and got completely soaked. One of my friends leant me this. Ah, and for proof…”

_ It’s got to be here somewhere…  _ Quickly remembering his clothing in hand when he arrived here, Yugi frantically searched the floor until he found the heap of damp clothing. Yugi hummed in satisfaction as he brandished it in front of him for the tricolour haired man to inspect as if it were a key piece of evidence. Atem raised an eyebrow.

“You fell into a pond?”

“Yes. I’m a bit clumsy to begin with, and when I’m hung over, oh boy, it gets much, much worse!”

Atem chuckled. “That’s oddly endearing.”

“Well, I’m glad you think so because I felt stupid needing to be pulled out of the water like that.” Yugi set the pile of clothing down.

“It happens to the best of us. We all need help sometimes.” Atem joined Yugi at his side. “Now, in the spirit of helping, would you let me help you into something more fitting? That is, if you have a moment before your next class. I don’t want to impose if you have some place else you need to be.”

There was no next class, but Yugi was not about to divulge that. It was all very strange, but he found himself not quite ready to leave. He was drawn and bound, pulled in by a current found in an unexpected place and with an unexpected person. Even though a part of him remained confused, he could not deny his curiosity. Yugi nodded.

“I have a few hours until my next class, and I would really appreciate that.” Yugi cursed his awkwardness, but the college student across from him did not seem to notice. His smile grew wide and he tossed his backpack over his shoulder.

“Wonderful. Follow me.” 

“Ok.”

“Did you also lose your backpack in the pond?”

Yugi rubbed at the back of his head sheepishly. “Ah.”

“I can lend you one of those as well.”

They milled through the crowds as Atem lead Yugi out of the chemistry building. Outside of the doors was a sprawling lawn dotted with students and backpacks taking advantage of the warm fall day. The sunshine warmed his cheeks as he followed Atem down a sidewalk through the middle of the quad. They chatted about the turning leaves and the classes Atem was taking. Thankfully, Atem was plenty preoccupied with answering the questions Yugi posed. He did not need him prying further into his non-existent enrollment at this college. 

Finally, Atem announced that they had arrived. “The Rundle Hall dormitories, my home away from home.” 

Yugi followed Atem through the doorway and up three flights of stairs. Just like the dormitories he stayed at in his first year, the hallways were filled with students popping in and out of rooms, the whole floor filled with the murmur of a multitude of conversations. The door to room 303 bore two names written on coloured construction paper: Atem and Joey. Atem knocked on the door and after a couple seconds without a response, he dug out his key. 

“He must not be around.” Atem murmured as he inserted the key into the lock. 

_ Joey… _ “Is your dormmate’s last name Wheeler by any chance?”

“Yes. Do you know him?”

“I think I ran into him at a party once. Small world.”

“Yeah, he’s not around too much. He spends a lot of his time at his boyfriend Seto’s place off campus.” Atem propped the door open so Yugi could enter. 

The room spoke of two tales. Two single beds pushed up against opposite walls. Two small desks were pushed next to each other under the window. However, that’s where the symmetry ended. The right side of the room was neat and tidy, bed made and desk organized, while the left side was the pure embodiment of chaos. 

“Which side is yours?” Yugi asked as he eyed the pile of laundry shoved in the corner of the left-hand side of the room.

“Which side do you think?”

“It doesn’t matter what I think, I just really hope your’s is the right side.”

To Yugi’s delight, Atem laughed. “Well, you are in luck. Make yourself at home, I will grab you something from this century.”

Yugi pulled out the little wooden chair from the desk, spinning it around to face the rest of the room while Atem started rooting through his closet. 

“I think I may even have some pants that will fit you.” Came the muffled offer. Atem bent over to reach for something at the bottom of his closet organizer, and Yugi felt a sudden and inexplicable urge to accept. 

Atem turned around, a couple of shirts and pairs of pants in his arms. “Alright, here are a few choices… hmm? What is wrong?” 

“Oh, nothing! Thanks for doing this by the way. I really appreciate it!”

“It’s my pleasure.” That smirk again. 

Yugi grabbed the clothing with another murmured thanks and ducked out to find a washroom. When he returned to the dormitory dressed in the black button down shirt and purple jeans Atem had leant him, he found Atem kneeling on the floor fussing over a small flat screen TV.

“Oh, hi.” Atem greeted as he finished plugging the cable in the back of the TV. Next to the TV was a Nintendo 64 nestled in a box, partially covered by game cartridges. “I’m glad to see the pants fit nicely.”

_ He really is flirting, isn’t he?  _ Yugi one again seemed to lose the battle with his blush and merely nodded.

“I was, uh, going to play something while I waited for my next class… you’re welcome to join me if you like that sort of thing.” 

To his surprise, the now obviously flirtatious tone had faded, replaced with a cautiously hopeful note that ended his own hesitation. Yugi sat down beside him, leaning back against Atem’s bed. “Sounds like fun.”

“Really?” Atem smiled, moving to sit beside Yugi. “Ah, good! Oh and here’s the other thing.” 

Atem let out a small hum as he reached around his other side, collecting a small black backpack. He held it out. “To replace the one in the pond.”

Yugi accepted the bag with a smile and tossed his original, still somewhat damp clothing in it. Even in this universe, Atem seemed to be looking out for him. 

After a moment, Atem returned back to the TV, readying the console and controllers.

“I was thinking maybe we could go for a couple rounds of Super Smash Brothers.” Atem offered, waving a controller towards Yugi.

“Hmmm… only if you want to be beat at your own pick.” 

“Oh really?” an eyebrow arched.

“Well, start it up and see for yourself!”

“Oh you’re on!”

They sat on Atem’s floor for several hours, pressing buttons with vigor to make their virtual characters duck and jab all in the name of victory. Yugi would never admit it, but Atem was better at this game than he was. It took him everything he had to keep their records even. This Atem was just as good as the one he knew.

Yugi felt a familiar apprehension build in his mind. He has had some interesting experiences, but he could not help but wonder what exactly was going on… and whether he would be able to go back. The more he thought about it, the less it all felt like a dream. The floor underneath him was too hard. The science experiments were much too elaborate for his mind to dream up. The feeling of soaring through the sky. The water seeped through his shirt as he was pulled out of the river. It was all too real.

Even Atem next to him was too real. The lines on his face, accentuating the furrow in his brow as he stared intently at the TV screen. That small freckle at the base of his neck. His smell of cedar and musk that seemed to pull him in like a warm embrace. It could not be all in his head…

… but if it was not all in his head, then where was he?

“You gave up that last stock all too easily.” Atem teased as before his eyes softened. “What’s wrong?”

“Sorry. I’m just, ah, doing some thinking.”

“About what?” Atem let himself fall back against the bed, eyes meeting his.

“Oh, it’s nothing. There’s just a few things I’m going through and I’m just trying to make sense of it all.”

A beat of silence.

“Hey, I know we just met, but if you ever want to talk about it I’m always open, you know?” 

The question hung between the two, mingling with the something else that had been hanging there ever since they met at the lab. Honestly, all of of these questions were too much for Yugi to deal with at the moment. He would rather not think about them right now and just spend his time here with the one person who felt more like home than anyone else in the world. 

And home was about to be ripped from him again.

“Yugi?”

“What?”

“I think your wrist is glowing.”

“Glowing?” Just as the word left his tongue, the world tilted off its axis. Yugi stifled a groan. Not again. Not now. His hands scrambled for the backpack, pulling it tight against his chest. 

“Yugi, are you alright?”

“No.” Yugi replied weakly. “This is very strange, abnormal and I don’t expect you to understand any of this…”

“What are you talking about?” Panic shook the once suave voice.

Yugi rolled up his shirt sleeve to expose the band on his wrist, blue light filling the room. “This thing… I don’t know what it is, but I’m about to go.”

“Go?”

“Yeah.” Yugi said almost bitterly. “And before I do, I just want to say thank you.”

“For what?” The unbridled panic in Atem’s eyes nearly tore him in two.

“For a lot.”

His vision faded. The moment did too.

** Snap. **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All done in the name of making bad chemistry puns/pick up lines and plot advancement (Yugi's obliviousness should be gone now... right?) hahaha. 
> 
> [My tumblr.](https://atems-leather-pants.tumblr.com) Come say hi!


	4. Passwords

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who are you?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 3: Soulmate AU
> 
> So this idea has been kicking around my mind longer than I knew about AU-gust, but I never sat down to write it. I'm using a lot of these AUs as ways to experiment with ways of storytelling and writing that I have not yet tried, so I'm interested in hearing your thoughts in the comments if you've got a moment!

** Snap. **

Harsh lights seared, burning Yugi's eyes right before he screwed them shut. He swallowing down naseua as he waited for the world to stop spinning beyond his eyelids. Whatever this device was doing did not agree with him at a fundamental level. After he felt like the worst had passed, he cautiously opened an eye. At the same time, his heart fell. 

He was so longer sitting on the floor of the dormitory with Atem. Instead he found himself seated on the ground outside a cubicle nestled in a bustling office space. All of the small five by five foot cubicles around him were occupied, people murmuring into headsets as they typed commands swiftly on their keyboards. As casually as his adrenaline wired body would allow, Yugi stood up and looked around to see if anyone had noticed him appear. Thankfully, all of the office workers seemed engrossed in their tasks. Breathing a small sigh of relief when he realized that no one had paid him any mind, Yugi sat down in the vacant office chair beside him while he tried to figure out his next move.

His brow furrowed as he stared at the black glossy band around his wrist. This was by far the strangest dream he had ever had… if it was even a dream. Yugi shook his head, this all should be dream but something about that explanation still did not sit right. He stared at the Kaiba Corp. device on his wrist. It had remained firmly there despite where he had ended up. Could it be the cause of this? Is this device somehow warping reality, pulling him this way and that on a whim. Or was there a reason why? Yugi sighed again. At least this time, there were no fire breathing dragons threatening to eat him or Erlenmeyer flasks. He was someplace new. It looked modern and familiar… 

"Could I be home this time?" Yugi whispered to himself as a spark of hope ignited. It sure seemed like modern times! The computer on the desk next to him seemed very familiar to what he was used to working with. It was very possible. Now to see if that was the — 

"What are you going on about this time, Muto?" a gruff voice sounded from behind him.

"Ah!" Yugi nearly leapt out of his chair. He swiveled around to see a bearded middle aged man glaring at him from behind a set of glasses.

"If I catch you day dreaming again, Muto, you'll be out of here before you know it!"

"Uh, y-yes sir! It won't happen again!" Yugi squeaked out the words reflexively. With a grunt and a mutter about work ethic, his new boss left him be.

_ This seems like an IT help center.  _ Yugi thought to himself.  _ And for once, people seem to know me… what is going on? _

Yugi grabbed the headset as he started trying to wrap his mind around this strange situation. He was now someplace where he definitely exists. However, here he had a job in IT support. It could still be a dream. If this was not a dream, then he was in a world that looked and felt like his, but decidedly not so. Could this be his future? It was certainly possible… and if this was indeed his future, then he should really try not to mess up too much here, for his future self’s sake. 

Yugi sat up suddenly in his chair, dread dripping cold down his spine. His future self must be around here somewhere, and it could be catastrophic if he were to encounter him. Beyond confusing everyone as to how one IT worker somehow cloned himself, it could potentially cause a rift in time and space like in the movies. Oh no.

A few minutes passed, but the other Yugi did not arrive. He found himself stuck between a rock and a hard place. He could either try to leave and potentially get this future Yugi fired or he could play along with the situation as best he could. He was good with computers… he could figure this out, right?

Yugi spent the next five minutes trying to figure out the log into his computer. With two tries left on his password, he finally got it. Marshmell0n. It was a relief that even though somethings may change, some remain exactly the same. Smiling, Yugi clicked onto the server IT help program and held his breath as he checked a few of the tickets on the docket. He grinned widely. What are the chances that he would be offering IT support on a program he actually knew! Maybe he could bluff his way through this long enough to hopefully save his future self from termination.

“Yugi, what the hell are ya doing here?”

This time, the loud voice from behind him fully knocked him out of his chair. From his perch on the floor, Yugi stared up as he saw a familiar mess of blond hair. It can’t be…

“Joey!”

“Joey? No one’s called me that since I was ten. You know I go by Joseph.” Eyes narrowed at him, an almost distrustful glint flaring across those pupils.

“Oh.. Oh yeah! I was just trying out a new nickname!” Yugi got to his feet, painting what he hoped was a reassuring smile on his face. “You know, since we work together and all!”

The eyes remained narrowed for a fraction longer, but the man’s features eased up. “You’re a funny guy, Yugi. I thought you were taking a personal day today. Why the hell are ya here?”

Yugi blinked. Quick. He needed to think of something quick. “I, uh, did not need to take it anymore, so I thought I’d come in and work.”

Joseph seemed to buy this answer, but the second it left Yugi’s mouth, he nearly had a heart attack. This was his chance to be able to get out of here, and now several people knew that he was here to work! He wanted to smack his head against the nearest desk. Ahh, if he was going to be able to navigate what this device was trying to send his way, he would need to make better decisions than that!

“Well, as your supervisor, I’d suggest ya get back to work or else it’s coming out of your pay… Yuge.” The nickname fell off the man’s tongue a little awkwardly, but it made Yugi smile nonetheless. It also made him realize something. His best friend since high school would not be like this if he really was in the future. Joey… or rather, Joseph, acted like they barely knew each other. He was too tense and all too formal. This had to be a dream or something… again. Yugi’s shoulders drooped. 

“Well, are ya going start?” A hand was jabbed none to gracefully at his cubicle. Yugi nodded as he got back into his chair. 

Now that his supervisor had left and Yugi had squarely planted himself in this pickle, he looked at the time. 9:02 am. Well, here goes nothing.

After stumbling through figuring how to take a case from the growing list of people waiting for IT help, Yugi started his first call. Thankfully, it was a woman with a very basic problem that Yugi knew the solution to right away. She gave a very appreciative goodbye at the end of the call and Yugi cut the line.  _ There, that was not so bad! Time for the next call. _

That next one did not go as well. Thankfully, he had worked at that electronics store during his second year of college or else he would not have had a ghost of a chance. Between searching through the manual and using his own experience from his work, Yugi was eventually able to come up with a solution before the customer got too incensed. Yugi continued plugging away at the list which never seemed to get any smaller. With a small shake of his head, he wondered how people could continue working like this when it seemed like no progress was being made. It was disheartening and made him swear that if he ever made it home, he would never take a job in a call center like this. However, at 10:44 am, Yugi found a glimmer of hope in the oddest place.

“Hello, this is Yugi, registered tech troubleshooter.” He winced slightly as he read from the horribly cheesy canned script. “How can I make your day better?”

“Hello. I am having some trouble with your software. I just downloaded it this morning and it keeps freezing.”

Yugi stopped mid click on the folder labeled ‘software troubleshoot’. He released his mouse, his hand hovering above his mouse in anticipation. That voice. It seemed so familiar, yet foreign. A vague sensation prickled at the back of his mind. Who was it? Was it some one he knew?

“Uh, hello? Are you still there? Did we disconnect?” the voice in his ear said again.

“Oh, no! I’m still here. Sorry, technical difficulties.” Yugi chuckled lightly. To his surprise, he heard a chuckle come from the other end. 

“Is that not what you’re here for? To think, technical support having technical difficulties…” He sounded rich and deep, like your first cup of coffee in the morning. It was almost just as warm too. The voice tickled the back of Yugi’s mind, but he could not place it. There was a hint of an accent he could not place. “You would think, but no, we often need our own technical support, unfortunately.”

That laugh sounded again, and Yugi could not help his own little giggle in response. “Ah, but that’s enough about my own embarrassing and ironic need for technical support. How can I help you today… er…?”

“Yami.”

“Yami.” Yugi murmured thoughtfully into the microphone, his spirits falling a notch. He did not recognize the name, and he was starting to doubt the familiarity of the voice. Oh well, might as well help Yami out. “So, what software were you having problems with?”

Yugi went through the usual algorithm for this particular piece of software. After receiving the error code, he tried instructing Yami on the initial fixes that he could find online. To his displeasure, the software was still malfunctioning. Next, they tried a full reinstall of the software, but that did not seem to resolve the problem. Yugi scratched at the back of his neck as he silently planned out his next plan of attack should attempt number four fail. 

“Hmm… it appears to have worked for a few seconds, but then it froze again.” Yami relayed. He thankfully sounded more pensive than anything. It was a refreshing change from the various states of customer anger that Yugi had been plagued with all morning. Nothing seemed to rattle this client. His voice was steady and assured despite the situation and Yugi’s increasingly obvious bumbling.

“Do you have any other ideas?”

Yugi froze. While he was supposed to be thinking of the next idea, he had instead been focused on that voice. That  _ voice _ . Why? “I, uh, actually… wait, can you remind me of something? What were the specifications of the computer you are using.” 

A couple clicks and the voice relayed specifications on CPU, GPU, hard drive, RAM… 

RAM.

“You said you are running only six gigabytes of RAM… can you pull up your task manager for me when you’re running the software?”

A hum. Several faint clicks. Then another hum, this time almost bitter in its tone. 

“Ninety eight percent.”

“Is that what your RAM is running at right now?”

“Yes…” His sigh conveyed more than that word ever could. 

“That may not be enough RAM to run our software smoothly with other processes running in the background.”

“Ah, I see.” The voice was low, but not displeased. He had gotten his answer.

“I’m sorry, sir.” What compelled Yugi to apologize surprised both men on the line. 

“Oh, it is not your fault. And please, call me Yami. I’m much too young to be called ‘sir’.”

Silence hung on the line. He scratched at his forearm through his button down shirt. Usually he would have jumped at the chance to end the call and move on. The more you keep the client on the line, the more you risk them taking up even more of your time. Yugi could not afford that, he was barely able to fumble his way through most of the fixes so far and he had a queue building. Despite everything saying that he should start to end the call, there was something holding him there. He could not just yet.

Unfortunately, the process was started whether he liked it or not.

“Thank you very much for your help… Yugi.” A hesitation. That voice saying his name made him feel strange. Light and heavy. Vertiginous and grounded. It caused his heart to hammer.

“You’re, uh, welcome. Is there anything else?”

“No, that’s all for now.” Despite its meaning, the phrase did not really feel like a dismissal. 

“Alright then. I hope you have a good day.”

“Goodbye.”

The line died, and for a moment, Yugi went cold. He removed his headset, placing it gently down on the desk. His thoughts swirled as Yugi stared blankly at his screen.  _ Yami… Yami… _ A beep. His computer rudely made its presence known. His surroundings came back into focus, the murmurs of the other technical support agents, the clicks of keyboards and mice finally registering again. With a couple of blinks and a distracted mumble, Yugi put on his headset and clicked onto the next call.

As the day went on, Yugi became more comfortable with his work. Thankfully everything was algorithmic and there were a handful of common problems that kept arising again and again. Maybe he would be able to fake his way through like the Yugi of this world would. He just needed to survive today, then he could try to regroup and figure out how to get back home. 

Yugi sighed as he took another sip of his coffee. 2:19 pm. Just a few more hours. He set his mug down as he clicked on the next call.

“Hello, this is Yugi, registered tech troubleshooter. How can I make your day better?”

“Oh… are…” The even cadence of a rich voice filled Yugi’s ears. He froze, not daring to move a muscle for fear it would break the connection.  _ Oh? Oh. _

“You’re the man I was speaking with before.” A statement said in shock. 

“What are the chances…” Yugi murmured.

“What are the chances, indeed.”

A beat of silence connected the two across the line. “So Yami, was it?” Yugi feigned his doubt of recollection, even though he was sure he had remembered correctly. He received a confirmatory hum. “I thought I helped fix your problem earlier… I’m sorry, but was there something wrong with my solution?”

“No, not at all! I actually was just setting up my new laptop and wanted to, uh, make sure I installed my program correctly.” 

Even though he had only really talked with this client for a half hour in the past, he could sense that there was something a bit different about this call than when they were connected the first time. An interesting comment said in a curious tone. There was no way he just spent the last couple of hours buying a new laptop just because his old one could not run a particular program. Yugi debated asking that obvious question, but instead decided to play along.

“Alright. It’s the same one from last time right?”

“Yes.”

Yugi led him through the steps of installing the program and putting in the license, even though he knew that the client must already know this. They continued to chat amicably in between Yugi’s instructions and suggestions. Something prompted him to go on, extending the formal, yet pleasant exchange with the voice that somehow put him on edge and at ease at the same time.

“And so now you just click, and your preferences should be saved for your future documents.”

“Ah, thank you.” 

Silence hung across the line again as Yugi scratched at his arm. This was the third small question that Yami had volleyed his way. He had run out of technical issues about five minutes earlier, yet here they were still on the call. Yugi did not mind. In fact, he could not deny that a small part of him wanted to stay on too.

“Alright,” The silence was finally filled by Yugi, feeling it stretch too long. “Is there anything else I can help you with, Yami?”

A beat. “No. I believe that is all.”

“Well, I hope you have a great day.”

“You as well.”

The call disconnected. With a hum, Yugi rubbed the side of his face. Once again, just as the line went dead, he went cold. He felt strange, his thoughts like gears grinding against their pairs, not coming quite into alignment. That voice was so familiar, but how? Why? He did not know a Yami. In fact, he did not seem to know anyone in this strange warped world except for Joey, who did strangely did not recognize him. Wrapping his mind around what was going on was almost certainly going to give him a headache. So instead of pondering this mystery, he signed onto another call. Then another and another after that.

It was 4:47 pm before Yugi finally registered the time. His shift would be up soon. He’d have time to fit in one more call before he signed off and was finally able to leave and ponder his next move. Wearily, he clicked onto his last call.

“Hello, this is Yugi, registered tech troubleshooter. How can I make your day better?”

“I can’t believe it… Yugi…”

Yugi’s breath caught. Warm and rich, familiar yet foreign, but most of all confusing.

“Yami?”

“Yes.”

“I… I, ah. What is going on?”

Yugi heard a deep breath on the other end of the line. “I am so very sorry to bother you, and I hope I’m not coming across as prying or too forward but there’s something going on that I cannot describe. I cannot explain it. I don’t know how exactly to ask this… but do I know you?”

Yugi blinked and scratched at his forearm through his sleeve. “I don’t know, but I was wondering the same thing.”

A beat. “You were?”

“Yes, you sound so familiar. I can’t put my finger on it. But your name… I don’t know a Yami.”

“Ah, well, I go by Yami but that’s not my given name.”

The room started to spin and his scratching intensified. “What is your name?” He breathed.

“My name is Atem.”

Yugi’s eyes went wide and he suppressed a yelp. His arm ignited, a golden light shining through the borrowed button down shirt from his forearm. 

“What…” Yugi whispered as he rolled up the sleeve. A golden eye was now adorned upon his wrist, its lines fashioned out of a nebulous radiance. After a moment, the sear faded and the mark subdued. When the golden light had finally died out completely, he was left with a white mark of the same symbol. Yugi blinked at the eye. It did not blink back.

“You… it’s you. I’ve found you.” The voice from the headset murmured in awe. “My soulmate.”

_ Soulmate? _ Yugi caught on the word. _ ‘My soulmate’…  _

Yugi stared at the marking as he was consumed by a cacophony of emotions he could not define. A once subconscious desire was spurred to the forefront by this unexpected revelation. Is that what this means? That Atem… is my soulmate? How could this be possible?

“Yugi?”

Yugi did not respond. Could not respond. He was frozen in place, his heart hammering sickeningly in his chest.  _ A fever dream. This must be a fever dream. Soulmates… _

“Yugi… are you still there?”

The room started to spin. A new fear gripped Yugi’s mind. It was happening again. The blue light filled his vision as he stumbled over his words.

“Atem, I —”

** Snap. **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [My Tumblr.](https://atems-leather-pants.tumblr.com)


	5. Knives and Forks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What, you don't know that one?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 4: Angels and Demons AU

**Snap.**

“— I know you.”

His response was not given to Atem, but rather, to a gravel road dusted with snow. Yugi stared blankly down, eyes unseeing. The vertigo was still there, but his stomach turned for a different reason. He did not feel ill, but rather, he felt empty. Unfinished. Torn. He looked around briefly at the expanse before letting out a curse.

It was dark, the half moon and a handful of stars peeking through a partially cloudy night were the only sources of light. On either side of the road were fields of what looked like wheat — or maybe tall grass? — Yugi was unsure. It was too dark to tell. What he could tell was that the road forked not several meters away. Despite the bifurcation, there was nothing to indicate where either route lead. He clutched his arms and suppressed a shiver.

 _Arms…_ Yugi remembered, as he slowly rotated his hand to expose the inside of his wrist. Even though it was dark, the mark was still there. Faint, but definitely there.

Atem.

 _A soulmate? What was he saying?_ The word soulmate was commonly used back home, often used in jokes or in the context of a particularily amazing bowl of ramen. However, the way Atem had used it… he had never heard the word ‘soulmate’ used so reverently before. So _believed_ before. The way Atem had uttered that word had shaken him to his core and spurred on a thousand questions in it’s wake. He started to shake, but not because of the cold.

This all was madness. Absolute madness. Some cruel trick played on him by some sick force. Could this really be reality? Maybe this is some sort of a nervous breakdown. A hallucination. That’s right. This had to be a hallucination. His feelings, whatever they were, are not real. Atem was not real. None of this was real. It could not be! If it was, then this was the most vicious trick the universe could ever play. Tossing him into situations in worlds he was ill-equipped to handle. The events toying with his emotions with a reckless abandon, pulling the strings on his heart like some sadistic puppeteer. Giving a glimmer of hope, only to leave him confused, hurt and alone.

His head pounded as he stared at the gravel. _It’s all happening again. Why am I going through this?_

His questions were quickly quelled as Yugi became aware of the bitter wind. The cold seemed to become more potent, cutting right through his skin to bone. He pulled his arms even tighter against his chest as he braced himself. Just when he thought it could not get any colder, a flare of heat crashed into him. Before his eyes, a red flame rose at the intersection between the two roads. From within came a person.

“Now who are you?”

A young man with unkempt black hair straightened his tie and adjusted his cuffs. His white three piece suit, despite having just passed through a wall of flames looked as pristine and crisp as if it was brand new. The man himself, though, was not new to Yugi at all. Even though he appeared fully grown, there was no doubt that it was Mokuba Kaiba standing in front of him.

Yugi shook his head in irritation. Once again, his mind was playing tricks on him, making him see people that are not really there. Using faces familiar to him, contorting them to give him hope then only to take it away at the worst possible moment. None of this is real. So then, why fear it? As this revelation took hold, Yugi chose to glower quietly at the new arrival.

“Silence is not a nice way to greet someone.”

“Well, you don’t exist so why would I try to greet you?”

A scoff. “I did not expect that. But ok, I will play along. I don’t exist?”

“Yeah, you don’t.” Yugi murmured as he rubbed at his temples. “I’m being tormented and you’re just the latest thing that’s trying to break me.”

“’Tormented’? I don’t think you are. I’d know if you were being tormented.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“All in due time. But first… wait, where are you going?”

Yugi had turned around and set off down the road away from ‘Mokuba’. He needed to get out of here. He needed to figure out a way to break out of this hallucination or nightmare or dimension or whatever it was. He had not even made it three steps before a second wall of flame, much stronger that the first, appeared in front of him. He recoiled back from the heat, blinking away the white spot in his vision from the intense light. He spun back around to ‘Mokuba’.

“Please let me go.”

“No, I won’t.”

It the blink of an eye, Mokuba appeared right in front of him. He shot him what could only be described as a shit eating grin. “You’re strange.”

“Strange?”

“Yeah. Usually people have to do the whole ridiculous song and dance to get my attention, but not you. I felt a weird disturbance at my crossroads and I just _had_ to come check it out.”

Yugi stared in confusion. None of those words made any sense.

“You see, being a crossroads demon is not an easy job. It’s all ‘grant me this’ and ‘I want that’ and ‘help me beat the pharaoh at this stupid card game’. Every time I’m pulled here, it’s always because somebody wants something. But you… you don’t want anything from me.”

Yugi swallowed hard. _A demon? No, no, no, not again_. _Not another thing that’s going to try to kill me._ A chill ran down his spine.

“It’s just a hallucination. He can’t hurt you.” Yugi reminded himself with a whisper as he backed away slowly. The long legs of demon Mokuba Kaiba diminished any progress he made in an instant.

“I don’t know why you keep sticking on that hallucination explanation. I’m as real as you are, just a little… different, that’s all.”

Mokuba’s eyes began to glow like coal embers. Yugi shivered, due to the cold or the spectacle of the burning eyes he had no clue.

“Hmmm, but you’re definitely different too. And I think I’ve got it now, why you’re so peculiar…” The embers because inquisitive. “Is because you’re not of this world.”

“Not of this world?” Yugi murmured, a swell of panic rising.

“No, you’re not at all. Your soul signature is all wrong. I’ve never seen anything like it before!” Mokuba announced, reaching out to place a hand on Yugi’s forehead. “Oh wow, yeah. Tell me, what other things have you seen?”

Yugi blinked. “I, uh, was in a place with dragons. And then a place that looked like my college but it was not. I kept running into people I know but they don’t know me. Or they knew me and I don’t really know them, at least, now how they were in that moment.”

“How often do your surroundings change? And how?”

“They’ve changed a few times now, and every time this thing on my wrist glows.”

“Hmm, and you’re sure it’s not this thing’s doing?” An eyebrow raised as his hand fell to point at the device on Yugi’s wrist.

“Honestly, I know it has to be… but dragons and demons… they can’t exist.”

“Now I can’t speak for dragons, but I think that scale in your backpack sure does. And I definitely exist, much to the chagrin of organized religion.”

“How did you know about the scale?”

“You’ve really got to stop lying to yourself, Yugi Muto.” Mokuba’s tone shifted suddenly. “This is reality, and you had better start realizing this before it’s too late.”

“Too late?” Yugi echoed.

“Yes. I think you’re being sent to all of these dimensions for a reason. This cannot all be a coincidence.”

“And what is the reason?”

“How would I know?” Mokuba shrugged. “Here, let me see it.”

Yugi held out his wrist tentatively, the obsidian band a void in the night. The demon came around, inspecting it from multiple different angles. A snap of his fingers ignited a small fireball to serve as a torch. “It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen before… where did you get this?”

“I don’t know. It was in my mailbox one day… and now here I am.” Yugi said almost bitterly.

“This thing gives off weird energy. It’s similar to the energy given off by greater demons when they use their abilities… ahh, yes! It can warp spacetime! You have been dimension hopping this entire time. And this thing here is why. Someone has put a lot of time and effort into that device, so whomever gave you it did so for a reason.”

Yugi looked down at his wrist. _Who would do such a thing? And why?_

“But now that you’ve seen the light, it’s time to get back down to business. You might as well tell me what you want and we can see if we can work out a trade, you strange tiny traveller.”

“I don’t want anything.” Yugi murmured, his eyes still on the device.

“Hmmm, you should never lie to a demon. We don’t take well to that sort of thing.”

Yugi looked up. His anger had faded, and its stead, weariness had set in. “I… I want to go home.”

“Do I look like a miracle worker? The only dimensions I have access to is here and hell. So unless your pale ass is from hell, you’re out of luck.”

Yugi grimaced. He expected that answer, but still the reality still stung. Besides, even if this demon was able to take him back, the price he would have had to pay surely would have been too steep. It was better if he did not make a deal with this demon at all. “Then there’s nothing I want.”

“Nothing? There’s got to be something. There’s clearly something bothering you. You know, other than the obvious.”

Yugi remained silent, eyes on the ground.

“Oh, oh… I think I know what it is now.”

Yugi stiffened, but still, he did not talk.

“How did I miss it? It’s as clear as day! You’re _pining_.”

“I’m… I’m not. I shouldn’t have to put up with this…” Yugi sighed in exasperation.

Demon Mokuba cleared his throat as he adjusted his tie. With a sly smirk, he started to sing. “No chance, no way. I won’t say it no, no….”

Yugi just stared on dumbfounded.

“What, you don’t know that one? What sort of pathetic dimension are you from? Oh never mind. What I’m really getting at is that mark.”

A hand quickly grabbed his wrist, but despite his recoil, the grip remained firmly in place. “It looks like a variant of a soulmate mark.” Demon Mokuba smiled wide in glee, his teeth sickeningly sharp.

Yugi looked up incredulously. “How did you know that?”

“Humans have them here too, they are just a bit different.” Mokuba narrowed his eyes. “Now where is your soulmate?”

Yugi winced as the question reignited the ringing of Atem’s final words in his mind anew like some sort of a sick taunt. _I’ve found you. I’ve found you._ As much as that he wanted to dismiss the whole soulmate business as some ridiculous romantic notion indicating that love life is entirely decided by fate and not of your own choosing, he could not help but feel something resonate as those words barraged him over and over. With all of the versions of Atem he had met so far, Yugi had felt something. A pull. A magnetism. A warmth. It was undeniable. He had simultaneously become a safe house and a mad house for his soul. What all of this meant to him was still unclear.

“Ah, is that why you were muttering and being a real grump earlier? Were you taken away from your precious partner?”

“Keep him out of this.” Yugi warned.

“Oh, don’t you worry! I’m not going to hurt him. I’m just curious. Why aren’t you together with a white picket fence and matching his and his mugs yet?”

“He’s not… I’m not… ah, I don’t even know what to think anymore!”

“What to think?”

“He’s my roommate, and yeah we are close. He’s really, really great but I’ve never… I never thought he…”

The demon leaned back in the air, reclining as if sitting in a chair. “Are you just realizing all of this right now?”

“Yeah. I don't even know...” A quiet confession, more for his own benefit than anything else.

“You know what you need to do, right?” Mokuba kicked off his atmospheric chair to float towards Yugi.

“Are you really about to give me relationship advice?”

“Don’t worry, it’s on the house. It’s not every day someone has an actually interesting existential crisis in the middle of nowhere Kansas.”

Yugi could not his snort, but did not interrupt further.

“It’s simple. Just tell him how you feel.”

 _Simple. Right. Everything about this was simple._ Yugi derisively remarked to himself. First of all, he would need to really understood how he felt. Then, beyond the usual vulnerability of these sorts of conversations, which was terrifying in of itself, there was an even larger hurdle that he’d have to jump. Namely, being the whole stuck in another dimension without a sure fire way of getting home. _So simple._ “Easier said than done.”

“You know what I meant, when you get home and all that.” Mokuba said with a dismissive wave.

Silence hung between the man and the demon. Yugi began to shiver with renewed vigor as he waited for the inevitable continuation of this uncomfortable conversation to begin. More than he needed relationship advice, he needed to figure out a way to get out of this predicament and go someplace warm before he lost fingers and toes to frostbite.

“Alright. If that is all, I really need to go.” Yugi said through now chattering teeth. “Can you at least point me in the right direction for the nearest town? Or will that cost me my soul too?”

“Ha. Ha. Very funny. The nearest town is 50 miles in, ah, that direction.” The demon pointed down none of the three gravel roads, but rather, through the field to Yugi’s right. “But do you know what? I like you, you tiny, adorable yet really quite grumpy man.”

Yugi suppressed the urge to start walking right into that field.

“And I feel for your plight. What can I say, I’m a hopeless romantic.” Mokuba said with a cocky shrug befitting of a Kaiba. “I will bring you to the nearest motel so you have a snowball’s chance in hell of surviving the night. You need to go get ‘em, boy!”

His embarrassed blush grew, starting to warm his cheeks. Soon the rest of his body joined in the warmth. A hand on his shoulder made him jump, skin warming in a wave under the touch. Before he could register what was happening, he was standing in front of a tiny motel with a neon sign advertising the ‘Lodge Cliff Motel’ at the end of the parking lot.

“There. Now try not to die. I’ve become invested in this story.”

Without another word, the demon vanished in a puff of smoke. Yugi shrugged the backpack onto his shoulders and made his way to the dilapidated inn. He thanked his lucky stars that he still had his wallet tucked away in his now dry jeans in his backpack. He paid for one night’s accommodations and after taking a very long warm shower, he got ready for bed. As he crossed by the small desk in the corner, Yugi grabbed the small motel notepad and tucked it into his bag beside the pencil from the call center. With a small sigh, he got into bed.

He pulled the covers up under his chin and gazed at the retro-style bedside clock, the red numbers illuminating the blanket in front of him. 2:14 am. He quickly lost the battle against his heavy eyelids, lulled by exhaustion into a dream of dragons, drinks and dial up telephones.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [My Tumblr.](https://atems-leather-pants.tumblr.com)   
> 


	6. Priorities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How do you not know what happened here?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 5: Post Apocalyptic AU
> 
> Annnnd the late updates are starting. Sorry! It may take a bit more time to get these out due to my schedule and my brain making these AUs more elaborate than they really need to be. Thanks for your patience! 
> 
> This chapter is dedicated to the wonderful and insanely talented Alecto, who has found my weakness and decides to toss challenges at me for everyone's amusement. I hope you are able to take a seat (heh) and enjoy the results of your challenge, friend! <3
> 
> Please note that the rating of this fic has changed. It was inevitable, but here we are.

_Why does everything hurt?_

Yugi pulled his knees up towards his chest, causing fine gravel to skitter. Something irregular and hard dug into his cheek. With a sleepy grumble, Yugi opened his eyes and sat up.

Dammit. It happened again.

The lumpy motel bed had been replaced by even more lumpy pavement. The road was cracked and peaked, debris and chunks of asphalt littered its surface as far as the eye could see. Towering buildings made of broken glass and cracked concrete surrounded him in various states of disarray. The air was still, smelling of dust and rotting garbage. Beyond the sound of his own breathing, the world was silent. No people. No cars. Nothing.

_It looks like a bomb went off here..._

Yugi got to his feet and slung his backpack over his shoulder. Thankfully he had the wherewithal to sleep with it in his arms last night just in case this sort of thing were to happen. He never seemed to be in one place for more than a few of hours, so in a way, he had expected this sudden departure. Despite this, it still was jarring and frustrating. He rubbing at the kink in his neck while he debated his next move.

His eye was caught by a sign in a window across the street. Curiosity taking over, he crossed and stepped up onto the curb until he was face to face with the window. Using his shirtsleeve, he rubbed away a patch of dust to reveal the disconcerting words underneath.

Domino City Dry Cleaners: Open for you always! 24/7/365

Yugi shook his head at the irony. The cleaners were definitely closed. As he started his walk down the road, which he now recognized as once being a part of a bustling shop district filled to the bring with people hopping from restaurants to boutiques, dread seeped into his heart even more. The cleaners was not the only business closed. In fact, nothing along the street seemed to be open. _What has gone on here?_

He walked down familiar streets, met by the same sequelae of chaos wherever he went. Junk littered the streets while flyers advertising something called the WRGP hung haphazardly from light poles. Along his trek, he sidestepped several teddy bears and action figures. It was as if everyone had left in a hurry. Or vanished. Or… he tried to shove the thought out of his mind but it dug its claws in. He tried to not look too hard into the shadows for fear of what he’d find.

About an hour in, Yugi found his first soul… and it nearly killed him.

As he passed by a dumpster reeking of rot and ruin, a dark brown blur darted out, nearly toppling him. His yell echoed through the eerie urban sprawl, but he quickly realized his folly. A chocolate lab paced excitedly in front of him, giving a small bark as excitable black eyes surveyed him. The dog seemed a bit gaunt, but otherwise healthy. After his heart settled, he bent down to give the dog the attention it was vying for.

“Well, aren’t you great! Where is your owner?” Yugi murmured as he scratched behind an ear. The dog was not wearing a collar and he was unsure even if the dog was micro-chipped if that would help him right now. After a few minutes of scritches and rubs, he said his goodbye to the dog and started making his way back down the street. Little did he expect that the dog would vehemently choose to follow him.

 _At least I’m no longer alone._ Yugi thought. A pup was definitely one of the best companions he could ever ask for in this post apocalyptic wasteland.

At least hours had passed and Yugi was none the wiser. He had not seen a single human soul or found anything that helped explain exactly what had happened here. The more he and the dog wandered, the more he started to hurt for Domino. The city where he had grown up laid in rubble before him. Even though this dimension was not his own, the emotions and pain this visage incited in him certainly were.

Storm clouds loomed over his mind and his city and the rain started to fall, dissuading him from exploring further. Yugi tried several doors in an attempt to get out of the downpour, but most of the buildings were locked or boarded up. As he jogged down the streets, the dog at his heels, he cursed the rainwater running off his bangs into his eyes. Why did he aways seem to get wet in these dimensions? Couldn’t one of them be a nice, dry, warm place for once?

As he rounded a skyscraper, the sight of a slightly askew sliding door caught his eye. This was his chance! He pulled at the sliding glass door, but no matter how hard he torqued, the door would not budge. With an exasperated groan, he pounded the door with the heel of his fist. At least here there was a small awning over top of the doorway to shelter him from the rain, but he still could not stay here for long. The wind was kicking up, and soon the awning would not provide a reprieve from the rain.

Yugi pushed back his dripping hair from his eyes. He needed to come up with a plan and fast. He had to try some where else. There must be somewhere he could stay! With a small sigh, he turned around and was bathed in harsh light. Two headlights were fast approaching, ripping down the road right towards him. The dog at his side started to bark in warning.

“No. No! Stay! Don’t!” But the dog took off like a streak towards the light. Not knowing what else to do Yugi yelled and ran.

“Stop! STOP!”

Tires slid on slick roads, the beams weaving slightly as the vehicle skidded. He rushed out towards the dog, cursing aloud at both the animal and driver. To his relief, he realized the vehicle had not actually collided with the dog, and had safely come to a stop a few meters away.

“What the hell were you thinking?!” Yugi yelled. “You nearly killed the dog!”

As he neared the vehicle, he became aware that it was not a car, but rather, a black all terrain vehicle that had been modified to carry extra cargo, several enclosed cargo containers were fixed to its back. The vehicle’s solitary driver slowly got off, face obscured by a large visored motorcycle helmet. His black jacket was fitted and clung to his form. As soon as he was off the vehicle, he reached back and grabbed an item that made Yugi’s stomach drop.

“Hey, wait… what are you…” Yugi stammered, stopping his advance.

“Who are you and what are you doing here?” The voice was muffled, but the threat in the low growl was unmistakable.

“My name is Yugi. I-I am just looking for shelter from the rain. That’s it! For me and the dog.” Yugi explained, but the gloved hand’s grip on the baseball bat grew tighter.

“You cannot stay here.”

A chill ran down his spine. As the person neared, Yugi became acutely aware of who was talking to him.

“I mean you no harm! I just need shelter!” He protested, holding his hands up in surrender.

Atem was having none of it.

The bat was swung without warning, smacking into the ground just beyond Yugi’s feet.

“Leave this place. Now. Or else I won’t miss next time.”

For the first time in his life, Yugi was scared of Atem. Sure, the man could be a bit grumpy if he did not have his coffee or if he found you unarmed in the middle of a dimension where dragons flew fancy free, but never in his life had Atem ever meant Yugi harm. This Atem was different. This whole dimension was different, and what ever had happened here clearly had affected him.

“Please, can we just talk? I will leave you be, but I need shelter.” Yugi rambled, his adrenaline making his mouth run. “And I have to know, what happened here? What’s going on?”

The bat was suspended in mid air above the man’s shoulder. A muffled murmur of disbelief, and a hand reached up to flip the visor. Shocked crimson eyes met his own.

“How can you not know what happened here?” Atem asked, distrust quickly replacing his mystification. “How do you not know about the machines? Is this some sort of trick?”

“I’m not from here. I have no idea what is going on, but I… used to live in Domino City and I cannot believe what has happened here…” Yugi explained, hoping his open honesty would serve to diffuse the situation. Sure enough, something minute shifted in Atem. Then something not so minute shifted as well. The baseball bat was slowly lowered to the man’s side, every inch of its descent providing a modicum of relief to seep into Yugi’s tense muscles. Although, even once the bat was down against the ground, Yugi tension had not abated fully.

Atem reached up, undid the buckle and took off the helmet, his tricolour hair springing up despite gravity to a form Yugi knew all too well. Atem’s face was filthy, streaked in dirt and grease as if he had not showered in days. The rain quickly started to make quick work of the grime. A gloved hand swiped at his eyes, pulling at his cheeks as they made their way down.

“You’re serious, aren’t you?”

“Unfortunately, yes.” Yugi suppressed a shiver and a few choice curse words at the rain.

Atem narrowed his eyes briefly. “I don’t know why I’m doing this…”

Yugi waited with bated breath for the words he hoped would come.

“Alright, come inside. I don’t need you dying of some illness because you are too foolish to wear a jacket.”

It was not the warm welcome that hehad hoped for, but it would definitely do. At least now he could get out of the rain. Convincing Atem to listen to him and to not brandish the bat again on him would be a much easier task out of the downpour.

“You’ve got me there.” Yugi admitted. “I can explain it all when —“

Atem huffed, the noise vaguely reminiscent of a growl. “You will explain _everything_.”

Yugi swallowed, but let the animosity roll off him. If he had been living in a post apocalyptic world, he would surely have trust issues too. He sucked in a slow, calming breath to quell his own less than friendly retort.

Atem took one last long look at him before turning to grab a container from the back of the ATV. “If you are going to make me regret my choices, at least help me carry this inside.”

“Of course.”

Yugi’s hands kept sliding on his handle of the heavy crate, but they made it up the stairs to the building without further calamity. Once Atem had unlocked the door and they both stepped inside, he set down his end and breathed a sigh of relief. The building was cool and dark, but at least it was mercifully dry. What he would give for a hot shower, although he suspected that those were rare in this dimension. The dog, who had stayed by his side as he entered the building, could use a good hosing down too. The smell of wet, dirty dog was enough to make his nose crinkle.

“Ok, please elaborate.” Atem started none too kindly, crossing his arms against his waterlogged coat, not looking to care at all about his sopping state. “Who are you and what is your business here?”

What he did in this moment was pivotal. Atem had shown that he was not against using force to defend himself and this place. What was so special about this building? It was run down and had clearly been stripped bare by something or someone. The expansive lobby where they stood at one point would have been ornate and lavish, but the toll of the times had not spared this place. The front desk was littered with junk and debris, yellowed and dusty papers strewn about. What was of value here worthy of protecting?

“I asked you a question…” the utterance was low and warning.

He took a step towards Atem in an effort to broach the gap. “I really want to tell you, I really do but I don’t think you’ll believe me even if I tried.”

Atem shook his head. “Is that all you have to say for yourself? Domino City was attacked by machines sent to destroy humanity for their reckless use of power and you expect me to not believe your tale?”

“What did you just say?”

“How do you not know of this?” Atem was agast. “Unless you’re from…”

Atem never had a chance to finish his sentence. A voice called out from across the room, startling Yugi.

“Atem, who the hell are you talking to?” The voice exuded a pompous self-assurance that Yugi would know in any dimension.

Seto Kaiba.

From a darkened doorway across the room, the man in question entered into the foyer. Gone was the usual business suit that Yugi was accustomed to see Kaiba wearing, and instead, he was garbed in a tight black turtleneck, form fitting black pants and a silver dog tag resting against his chest. Although he was not one of the men standing in sopping puddles, he definitely looked the most irked.

“What little rodent did you pick up off the street this time?”

“Believe me, I’d like to kick him and his dog out, but who knows who he works for? He knows where our hideout is and I don’t want him to tell his superiors where we are.”

So that’s it. Atem did not trust him because of who he might know and what trouble he might bring. In a way, Yugi did not blame him. In a city torn apart and thrust into anarchy, you could never be too safe. It was times like these though that Yugi wished that Atem was not this stubborn, but then again, Yugi had not done much to help his situation. Withholding information was not working to his advantage.

“So you decide to bring him inside then? You’re a real genius.” Kaiba snipped. “Now he has the chance to rob or attack us in our own base.”

“Kaiba if you would just shut up and let me handle this…”

“Yeah, and let you continue to do such an exemplary job? Ok, please. Enact your brilliant plan.” Kaiba said haughtily, words dripping in sarcasm and coated in sneer.

Atem rolled his eyes and disengaged from Kaiba. The contempt was palpable between these two, and Yugi could not help but wonder how they ended up working on the same side. It did not take long to figure that one out.

Steps rang out on the staircase and a man with a messy head of blond hair appeared behind Kaiba. “What are ya yelling about? You’re gonna scare the… oh, who are you?”

Once again, Yugi was met by a set of eyes that stared at him without recognition, but at least these eyes were less accusatory and more curious.

“My name is Yugi. I’m new around here and I’m honestly just looking for shelter. I do not mean any of you any harm. When the rain is done, I will leave and you will never see or hear of me again. I promise.”

Joey’s shot him a grin and grabbed Kaiba roughly by the shoulder. “Aww look at him, Seto! He couldn’t hurt a fly. You’ve gotta loosen up.”

Kaiba let out a grunt, but to Yugi’s surprise he did not snipe back. The Kaiba he knew back in his own world would not have stood for that sort of comment tossed his way, especially coming from Joey Wheeler. The only person who was teased more mercilessly than Yugi by the eldest Kaiba was Joey. There were several times during high school where teachers had to intervene between these two stubborn forces of nature to avoid an all out war in the classroom. However, the tension seemed to be much more subdued here.

Yugi took a moment to choose his response carefully. He hated it when people underestimated him because of his size and amicable demeanour. He could more than hold his own in a multitude of situations, but now was not the time to argue. He had an in with what Joey had said, so it was time to seize his opportunity.

“Ahh, yeah. Thanks.” Yugi played up the innocence in his voice and purposefully avoided using Joey’s name. The last thing he needed was to raise their suspicions again. “Could I please stay here for a few hours?”

He was met by three very different responses. Joey’s grin widened and he affirmed that he was happy to have Yugi stay for a bit. Kaiba, on the other end of the spectrum narrowed his eyes further and reiterated his displeasure of letting a person he did not know into his base. Yugi turned towards Atem. He was initially apprehensive of what he was going to find, but he was pleased to see that Atem’s features had softened and his gaze was no longer openly hostile. He was still very suspicious, but at least Yugi was sure that he was not going to kick him out of the building forcefully.

“Alright.” Atem muttered. “Do not make me regret this decision.”

As soon as Atem was a few paces away, Yugi let out his breath he had been holding and turned to follow him up the stairs.

* * *

Yugi finished off his tin of beans in a room with walls halfway to rubble. It had been a couple of hours since he had joined Atem, Joey and Kaiba To his surprise and delight, there were several other familiar faces upstairs. This dimension’s Ryou Bakura and Tea Gardner were sitting around around an open fire burning in the middle of a large room which looked like it had once been an office space. The carpet had been ripped up to bare concrete, and deposited in a messy mound along the south wall. There were several sleeping bags and makeshift mattresses scattered around the room’s periphery in various states of disarray. One along the north wall was occupied, a head of brown hair poking up from beneath the stained comforter pulled up to cover him. Despite the conversations, the man remained asleep.

The truce between Joey and Kaiba seemed to dissipate as soon as people stared heating up their rations over the fire. A hushed argument quickly devolved, only the mention of supplies was registered before the shouting started. The people gathered around the fire did not seem to pay it all much mind. They seemed like they were used to this sort of thing. In fact, Yugi caught Tea chuckling at a particularly snide comment unleashed by the silver tongue of Seto Kaiba. After a while, Kaiba left the room with Joey hot on his heels.

Joey’s disgruntled yelling from down the hall eventually quieted down somewhat and Yugi could finally focus on his thoughts. This outburst was fairly representative of how Joey and Kaiba interacted in his own dimension. They both were bull headed and strong willed, focused on different goals and ideals. They had totally different priorities. From what he could gather, Joey here seemed to be all about going out of their way to take risks for food, shelter, and supplies. Kaiba, on the other hand, was definitely a lot more finessed about his resource allocation. Knowing Kaiba, he would not be too tolerant of people who had priorities that interfered with his own.

Over the course of their canned dinner, the less prickly members of this haphazard crew were more than willing to fill in Yugi on the details of how they had all found each other. After a while, even Atem seemed to loosen up and joined in the conversation. According to Atem, their group had been together for about two months, and had formed in the weeks after the machines attacked. It initially started out as a safety issue, as people were looting the city and often solitary people were made as prime targets. But after a while, they seemed to come together in more ways than one.

His gaze fell onto Atem, who was sitting on the other side of the make-shift fire pit. He was chatting amicably with Tea about some topic of which Yugi could not quite hear. The hardened look he had seen earlier had softened, and Atem almost looked like he was enjoying himself. He averted his eyes before he was caught staring.

Only recently had he become aware of his feelings, but now he could not seem to get them out of his mind. Despite the layers of soot and barbs this Atem bore, he still reminded him of his Atem. There were glimpses of that heart he had started to know that shone through. Even though he seemed less than trusting, he had still taken the risk to bring him into his group. He may not understand this Atem all that well, but there was still some sort of bond they both shared. How is that even possible?

“Yugi?”

Yugi snapped out of his thoughts abruptly. “Oh, sorry. What did you say?”

“Atem had mentioned that he found you outside, but beyond that, he does not know much about you.” Tea reiterated. “I was just wondering what you’ve been up to ever since the… you know.”

Yugi swallowed hard. He knew that these questions were bound to come up at some point, and he was very hesitant to tell the truth. He already seemed odd and out of place enough. But then again, in a dimension where everything had fallen apart at the hands of something truly terrifying and beyond imagination, these were the people who would surely be able to handle one more strange tale. He took a risk.

“I actually wasn’t here for it.” Yugi started.

“Oh? Were you living somewhere else? And why would you come to Domino?”

“I didn’t have much choice.” Yugi’s fingertips grazed the smooth surface of the Kaiba Corp. device. “You see, I’m not even from this dimension.”

“Not from this dimension?” Atem echoed, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.

“Yeah.” Yugi’s confirmation held a bitter note. He knew it was futile to get angry about his current circumstances, but he could not help it. Being yanked around across dimensions, tossed into life-or-death situations, being nearly killed by mythical beasts and having everything you ever thought to be true thrown into question made it difficult to remain calm. He shook his head as he looked up at Atem.

Those eyes were still narrowed, but the stiff posture had relaxed slightly. Atem remained silent for a moment, but when he spoke, the harsh tone that clipped his voice was gone. “So you’ve been through some difficult times too…”

“Ah, no where near as bad as you guys have gone through. Although, the dragon thing was pretty terrifying.”

“Dragon?” Atem and Tea said in unison.

Yugi told his abbreviated tale of dragons and demons, focusing more on the events and less on the people he had shared them with. He decided to forgo telling them about his soulmate, as the only thing that would come out of this would surely be confusion. It would do more harm than good to tell a man you just met that you are apparently his soulmate…

When he had finished his tale, he was met by silence and awestruck stares. The two collected their thoughts for a moment before they finally found their words.

“Why is this happening to you?” Atem inquired.

“I don’t know. This device was given to me, but I don’t know who or why or…” Yugi trailed off. “And now I guess you know.”

“Well, if there’s anything we can do to help just let us know.” Tea offered with a smile. “Do you know what? In celebration of our newest member, how about we grab some of the good stuff!”

The raised eyebrows at Atem prompted the tricolour haired man to chuckle. “We might as well. Who knows how long Yugi will be around? We might as well show him some proper hospitality.”

Atem got up. He motioned to Yugi to get up as well. “I’m going to need some help carrying it all back here, if you don’t mind.”

Yugi smiled at Atem. “Of course!”

They walked side by side out of the room and down the barren hallway. Despite Atem’s demeanor softening somewhat, Yugi still felt somewhat uneasy in the man’s presence. Moments later, the silence was broken.

“I’m sorry for how I initially greeted you.” Atem started, his gaze still on the hallway ahead of him. “There are few people still alive, many of which are not above looting or killing to survive. It was a merely matter of self preservation.”

“I get it, Atem. I would have also been wary of anyone new here given everything that has happened.” Yugi reassured. “I would have been the same way if I were you.”

For the first time since he had entered into this dimension, Yugi saw Atem smile at him and heard that deep chuckle. His heart was set aflutter. “I’m glad to hear that. I was worried that you thought I was some sort of asshole or something.”

“You? Never.” Yugi answered implicitly and much too fondly.

Atem stopped in his tracks. Yugi only made it one more step before he too was frozen in place. A spike of adrenaline surged through him as he realized what he had said. How he had said it. During his recounting of his adventures, Yugi had purposefully left out the identities of everyone whom he had encountered, using generics in substitute for specifics. He had never once mentioned that he kept finding Atem seemingly where ever he went. And even if he was not right there, he was at the forefront of his conversations. _Dammit._ He took a moment before turning around to see how this Atem would react.

“What is it, Atem?” Yugi addressed him, keeping his tone as light as he could.

“Do you know me? From other dimensions?” His eyes were unreadable in the dark hallway.

Silence. Yugi could never deny that, but he knew he had to choose his words carefully. He could not tell this Atem everything he wanted to say.

“Yeah. I do know you. You’re one of my… close friends in my dimension.” Yugi admitted. “We live together. We’re roommates.”

“It all makes sense now.”

“Huh?”

“You seemed like you knew me when we first met. You looked so… betrayed when I pulled that bat on you. It was strange, but now I understand.”

Yugi chuckled lightly. “Yeah, seeing you threatening to bludgeon me was a real shock.”

“I can only imagine.” Atem murmured pensively as he resumed his pace. With a start, Yugi moved to catch up.

“Do you miss him? Your… me?”

“Yeah.” Yugi confessed quietly. The word, although hardly damning in itself, was said in in such a way that prompted Atem to nod as a gentle smile was turned his way.

“Well, I hope you can find your way back to him. I’m sure he misses you too.”

 _He must be so worried._ Yugi realized. He had been on this journey for what felt like days. He hoped desperately for his Atem’s sanity that time passed differently in these dimensions than in their own.

Atem led Yugi towards a set of double doors near the end of the hallway. “This is where we keep our supplies for the most part. When we initially set up in this building, this was one of the only locked rooms that we could find keys to.”

Atem reached into a pocket and dug out a basic silver key on a chain. He fiddled with the lock as he continued to explain how they went about distributing resources and ensuring that everyone had enough to eat.

“So, we tend to save the alcohol for… oh.” Atem’s words died on his tongue as the door swung open.

It took a moment for Yugi to figure out what Atem was looking at, but when he saw it, Yugi felt himself flush. Nestled amongst the stacks of boxes and cans were two men in a sordid embrace. Scruffy blond hair bobbed slightly as he gyrated against the man seated underneath him. Yugi knew that hair anywhere; it had to be Joey. A hand came around to grasp the man’s ass, slender fingers dimpling the cream skin underneath. The man atop let out a moan at the touch and increased his speed, his hands fumbling against the arms of the chair beneath him to steady himself. The chair, however, was anything but steady.

They had chosen a collapsible outdoor folding chair, and no matter how hard Joey’s hands grasped at the fabric arms, he still seemed to be teetering. He stared at the chair as the thrusts continued and made a mental note that folding chairs definitely lacked the structural stability for this sort of thing. However, the man underneath Joey did not seem to mind their rickety situation. A hand snaked up a sweat soaked back to bunch up in Joey’s hair as the vocalizations became louder and more intelligible.

“Like you mean it.” Came the guttural growl of Kaiba.

“You’re always so bossy, Kaiba.”

“You like it.” The confident proclamation was followed by a swift slap on Joey’s ass. Joey definitely liked it.

Yugi realized that he had been staring much too long at the intimate moment and turned implicitly towards Atem. In almost the same instance, Atem’s eyes caught his own. His heart rate increased as he stared at the faint flush across the man’s bronzed cheeks. He found himself wondering what Atem would look like if they were to be deep in the deed like this. Mouth parted, breath hot against his face. Eyes filled with salacious need. Firm muscle beneath him and…

“Alright, that is enough.” Atem made their presence known to the two men. “Did you two really need to make up in the supply closet? There are plenty of other rooms in this building.”

The movement stalled suddenly, and a none too pleased groan filled the room. “Not many of which have a locking door.” Kaiba looked around Joey to shoot daggers at Atem. “You really should knock first.”

“I should not _have_ to knock to come in here.” Atem pinched the bridge of his nose with a sigh. “Just make it quick. We will come back later. And please… clean up after yourselves.”

A hand firmly grasped Yugi’s shoulder and spun him around before he could insert a word in edgewise. The door was closed abruptly and Atem hefted a sigh in Yugi’s direction.

“I’m sorry you had to see that. They are both rather… volatile with their relationship.”

“Relationship?”

“Yeah, they’ve been together for as long as I’ve known them, and they seem to fight as much as they…” Atem made a face. Yugi could not help but laugh.

“I noticed!”

* * *

The remainder of the evening was uneventful in comparison. As soon the sun had set, people started making their way off to their bed rolls, and soon, it was just Atem and Yugi seated next to the now subdued fire.

“That sounds like a great idea for a game, Yugi.” Atem praised.

“Thanks.” Yugi said as he suppressed a yawn. “I hope that some day you all can get back to some sort of normal so you can enjoy games again.”

“I hope so too. Although a little late, the Emperor Mekklord machines were defeated by the chosen few. It may take some time, but I believe we can rebuild. I’ve heard inklings that the machines were stopped before they could target any other countries and that even here, there are cities that were not affected. There is still hope for a brighter future.”

Yugi smiled at Atem, and something about it prompted the other man to chuckle.

“You look so tired. You really should get some rest. My bed roll is over there and you are free to use it.”

“No, no I can’t! Where are you going to sleep?”

“We need someone up to tend the fire and make sure the looters do not get the jump on us. I will stay up until someone else wakes up.”

“Atem, no.”

“I insist.” Atem gestured towards the sleeping bag. “And don’t you even think of protesting any further.”

Yugi shook his head, but he was right. He was nearly nodding off where he sat, and who knows when the next snap was going to occur. He might as well get some rest.

“Thanks Atem.”

“It’s my pleasure.” Atem said with a smile. “Good night.”

Yugi did not even bother to take off his shoes before curling up in Atem’s sleeping bag. His backpack was nestled safely in his arms as he regarded the form silhouetted by the subdued fire flickering just beyond his eyes. Sleep came.

* * *

The next morning the inevitable happened. Half way through his breakfast, which was a tin of maple and bacon baked beans, the blue light started emanating from his wrist. He placed down his tin and called out to Atem. Atem rushed by his side, and nodded upon seeing the blue light. Yugi had explained what was going to happen with the device last night by the fire.

“Alright, I’m about to go, but there’s one last final thing I need to say: go find Yugi.” he urged the other. “He’s got to be around here somewhere, I know he is. Try Kame Game Shop. It should be about a twenty minute drive to the south from here.”

Atem nodded. “Alright.”

The world tilted off its axis. “Take care of the dog too and stay safe. I really hope you can find that brighter future.”

“I will.”

Pale blue light filled his vision, blotting out Atem once again. Yugi sighed.

**Snap.**


	7. Damn Pagers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Follow my lead, ok?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 6: Hospital AU
> 
> Alright, we have finally made it to my true home turf AU... posted late (yet sooner) than I had hoped.
> 
> This AU is technically an extension of a one shot I wrote a while back. Feel free to check it out if you'd like a little context and a little glimpse into a time from my life (and also see how I've improved as a writer), but this AU can be enjoyed on its own too. Here it is: [On Call.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22960876)

**Snap.**

Lights, pain, nausea, confusion. The alarm that usually came with these sensations was still there, but Yugi pushed it aside. He was becoming used to this. He screwed his eyes shut, pressing his temples as he took in a few deep breaths. With a grimace, he quickly switched to breathing through his mouth. The harsh smell of industrial grade cleaners poorly covered the pungent smells of feces and other bodily fluids that assaulted his senses.

_Where am I now?_

Yugi pried an eye open. In front of him was a busy hallway bearing white walls and scuffed white tiles. Carts containing masks and gowns sat outside every third doorway. People in scrubs constituting all colours of the rainbow and then some moved with purpose between rooms, carrying bags of saline and blankets from the warmer. A group of people with fleece jackets over their scrubs leaned against the countertop of the nurses station, scrawling unintelligibly in charts and jostling for the couple of computers available along the back wall. To his left, Yugi saw a small huddle of people in plainclothes standing outside of a room speaking to each other in hushed tones.

“Code white. Building one, main floor. Code white. Building one, main floor.” A tinny voice announced overhead. No one seemed to pay it any mind. In fact, no one seemed to pay anything any mind here. Yugi was still standing in the middle of the hallway in dirty clothing and a backpack looking horribly out of place amongst the almost sterile environment. Yugi ran a hand though his hair to tame the fly-aways as he stepped to lean against a patch of bare wall. As he entered each new dimension, the hope that this one would be home diminished rapidly. At least this time, there was one small concession. The war torn dystopian Domino City landscape was gone and replaced with something a lot more safe. And besides, how much trouble could you get into in a hospital, right?

Yugi adjusted the straps on his backpack as he scoped out his next move. He needed to find a place to hunker down and regroup while he waited for his inevitable pull from this dimension. This time, if he could stay out of the thick of things that would be amazing. He had already been nearly killed enough for one lifetime.

He walked down the hallway back towards the ward exit, trying his best to blend in and ensure he did not to draw too much attention to himself. Out of the corner of his eye, Yugi caught sight of a workroom. Two people in scrubs and scrub caps were sitting on the same side of the table, surrounded by several pieces of whole fruit and huddled around a strange looking item.

“You see, this is why Dr. Goyu keeps going after you in the OR.”

“Yeah, but I will never need to know any of this as a pathologist!”

“Maybe you’ll become a coroner and have to sew things up afterwards?” the words said were teasing, but not in an unkind way.

“We have techs for that, Atem.”

 _Atem?_ Yugi did a double take, and sure enough, the face in profile of the man closest to him was more than familiar. It _was_ Atem. And next to him was…

“Me?” Yugi said to himself a little too loud.

The crimson eyed man held a large pair of tweezers in one hand and a blunt looking pair of scissors in the other. He poked at the soft item on the conference room table — which was maybe made of silicone? — and was instructing the other man on how to suture something. Atem was so engrossed in his teaching that he failed to realize that he had lost the attention of his student completely.

Yugi stared and his self stared back. Their eyes locked in mutual terror and curiosity for what felt like an eternity, neither man not knowing what to do in this situation. What _does_ one do in a situation like this? Yugi started to recall all of the time travel movies that he had ever watched and the paradoxes that interacting with yourself elsewhere in the time line could create. However, this could not be his future self. There was no way that he would end up working at a hospital, right?

Consequences be damned, he had been spotted and now things were about to get interesting…

“Yugi, what are you… Oh.” Crimson eyes joined amethyst in their interrogation, widening in surprise almost instantaneously. “What’s —”

“Oh hey! You finally made it!” the other Yugi bounced up from his chair with a start. “It’s so good to see you!”

Before he could fully comprehend what was happening, Yugi was quickly pulled into a hug by himself. It was one of the strangest things he had ever experienced, and after the past few days, that was saying a lot. He felt his counterpart lean in close to his ear to whisper a command. “Follow my lead, ok?”

The scrub clad Yugi pulled back and placed both hands on Yugi’s shoulders. “It’s been way too long, Heba.”

“Oh, definitely.” Yugi agreed with a nod.

“Hey Atem, I want you to meet my cousin Heba. He’s here visiting a friend on the ENT floor and I told him he should stop by and say hi.”

Yugi tried to hide his astonishment. This Yugi was a such a quick thinker!

“Oh, hi Heba. It is very nice to meet you.” The crimson eyed man got up from the table and offered a hand. “I’m Atem. I’m one of the senior residents on general surgery.”

 _Oh, that explains all of the sutures. He’s a surgeon in training._ "Ah, right. Yugi’s told me so much about you!”

“Oh yeah, right.” The scrubbed Yugi seemed to stiffen slightly.

“Pardon my intrusion, but the family resemblance is striking. I’d have mistaken you for twins if I did not know any better.” Atem continued, his inquisitive gaze igniting a strange cocktail of emotions in him. Yugi heard a shift from beside him, as his counterpart adjusted his fleece jacket.

“Oh we get that a lot. There’s some strong genes on the Muto side of our family, we always like to joke.” The scrubbed Yugi lightly bumped into Yugi as if to emphasize his point.

Atem hummed thoughtfully in response before he noticeably softened. “Genetics can be strange.”

“Yeah, they sure can. Hey, would you mind if I took a quick break, maybe ten minutes or so, to grab a coffee with my cousin?”

Atem chuckled, shaking his head. “You know Kaiba will be cross, right?”

“Yes.”

Crimson eyes sparkled playfully at the man in fleece. “And you’ll owe me one, right?”

Yugi chuckled but maintained his bravado. “…yes.”

A smile quirked at Atem’s lips. “You have ten minutes, Dr. Muto. Make the best of them.”

Dr. Muto grinned back.

Without a moment to say a proper goodbye to Atem, his counterpart tugged him out of the workroom and towards the ward exit. Dr. Muto moved at a breakneck speed down the stairs in hot pursuit of hot coffee. He never thought his body could ever be capable of moving so fast! In record time, coffees were procured, and the physician selected a table in the cafeteria near the wall where they could have a moment to talk. Yugi took his first sip and was not surprised. It was just as bad as the hospital coffee back home.

“Pretty terrible, isn’t it?” Dr. Yugi Muto said with his own grimace to match as he stared at the offending beverage. “You get used to it after a while, but it never gets any better.”

Yugi chuckled politely as he took another sip of the tarry liquid.

“So, ah, I don’t really know how to ask this the right way —”

“‘Who am I? How did I get here? Why am I here?’” Yugi finished the thought with a shake of his head. “You’re going to think I’m crazy.”

“Try me.” Reassurances were paired with a smile.

 _Is that what my smile really looks like? “_ I don’t know. I’m you… but from another world. I have been torn from my dimension and I have ended up here for some reason.”

The doctor nearly dropped his coffee. “Ah. You’re… from… another world?”

Yugi went on to tell an abbreviated tale of how he ended up in Domino General Hospital in another dimension. To his surprise, Dr. Muto seemed to be a little more open to this tale than he would have expected, asking clarifying questions along the way in an attempt to understand. Yugi’s tale was occasionally impeded by the harsh beep of the small device clipped on the inside of the doctor’s scrub pocket, which was quickly glanced at and silenced with a practiced efficiency. After the third buzz and beep of the device, Yugi finally stopped his story.

“Do you have to get that?”

“Ah, not right now. They can wait a couple minutes, it’s probably just for a Tylenol order or something. It’s only when I see the same number twice do I start to get excited. Damn pagers.” The scrubbed Yugi responded with a glare at the offending device.

Damn pagers indeed.

“So, you were saying that you were just in a Domino City that went through an apocalypse? What happened?”

“Apparently a bunch of machines from the future attacked. Atem was saying that humans were abusing some sort of power and this was the consequence of their actions.”

“ _Atem_ you say?”

Yugi blinked. “Yeah, there was an Atem in that dimension. Why are you surprised?”

“Oh, I’m not surprised, it’s just interesting that he has been in a lot of the dimensions that you have been tossed into so far.”

“Yeah, it is. He’s been —”

A sharp beep cut him off, and an even sharper sigh came from the young doctor. “Ahh, I had better return these. One minute.”

Yugi nodded and sipped at his coffee.

A cellphone was produced and a number was dialed. “This is Yugi returning a page. Yes. Alright. 3.0? Yeah, give him 40 miliequivalents of K-Durr PO BID for 24 hours… No, it should already be ordered for tomorrow morning. No. Yeah. Yeah, I can talk to Sarah too. Of course.”

The doctor ran his other hand through his hair as he looked up from the table to shoot Yugi an apologetic smile. “Oh hi Sarah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Of course he can have a hot compress. I… Q2h? Yeah, it really doesn’t matter. Of course, I will come and sign that requisition when I’m back, I’m just in a meeting right now. If you need it done quick, Atem should still be on the floor for a bit before the OR. Yeah. Yeah. No. Thank you.”

Yugi hung up with a sigh. “That should buy us another three minutes.”

“Does that thing always go off that frequently?”

“Some days.” the doctor shook his head. “But we aren’t here to discuss my work. I’m more interested in hearing about _Atem._ ”

Yugi nearly spat out his coffee. “Why do you keep saying his name like that?”

“Like what?”

“Don’t play that game with me! I know what you’re getting at! I’m you, remember?”

“I don’t know, you just seem a bit different when you talk about him. You light up a little.”

“I… I don’t know.” Yugi finally confessed. “In my dimension, we are both in college and we room together, so I guess we are very familiar with each other.”

“Interesting.”

“And he’s one of my best friends and we have a great time together… but now…”

“Now you’re feeling something different. Something more?” The doctor prompted with a small knowing smile.

“Yeah, and in each of these dimensions I keep running into him and I’m feeling more and its…” Yugi trailed off.

“Scary?”

“Yeah.”

“I get it.”

“You do?”

The young doctor smiled as he ran a fingertip around the rim of his to-go coffee cup. “I think I’m feeling the same way about him too.”

“Really?” Yugi leaned forward to rest his forearms on the table.

His counterpart looked around once as if to make sure that no one had snuck up on them. When he was reassured that Atem or someone else was not hovering nearby, he leaned against the table in an identical fashion. “Yeah, and it’s a bit terrifying.”

“Tell me about it.” Yugi chuckled.

A beep from the pager was quickly silenced, the doctor never missing a beat. “Yeah. Well, first of all, I’m not even training to become a surgeon. I’m going to become a pathologist, but I have to do these off-service rotations in my first year of residency in order to complete my training. So I’ve been put on General Surgery for two months as a part of that. At first the nights covering the inpatients were awful. They leave you here to fend for yourself with back up senior resident at home. One night I had a particularly grumpy senior and I was struggling. But Atem was trying to get a few more hours of practice in and he really helped keep me sane through that night. We became friends, and he’s honestly made this rotation so much better than I expected.”

“And it looks like he’s even making the days better for you too…”

It was the doctor’s turn to sport a blush. “Ahh, yeah he keeps trying to do those sorts of things you saw today even though he knows I’m not going to become a surgeon.”

“Huh.”

Another beep. Another fast as lightning button press. “… yeah, I think he may be trying to get to know me too. We meet for local Duel Monsters tournaments sometimes when our call schedules allow it.”

“Wow, you two hang out after work?”

“Yeah, it was his idea actually. I think he, ah, may feel the same way. At least, I hope.”

Yugi nodded. The pager went off again. It was silenced.

“I’ve actually decided that no matter what, when I’m done this rotation, I’m going to ask him out.” Dr. Muto said with a small nod to himself. “That way I can at least say that I tried, and if it gets awkward, then at least I don’t have to work with him again.”

“I don’t think you have to worry that much.” Yugi reassured. “I saw the way he looked at you and joked back there. I think you have a shot!”

The doctor’s amethyst eyes gleamed with hope. “He does look a little doe-eyed sometimes, huh?”

“Oh yeah.”

“So what are you going to do when you get back to your dimension?”

“I don’t really know.” Yugi took a sip.

Beep beep beep. Expletive. “I want to hurl this stupid thing off thing off a building right now.” Came the low growl aimed that the accursed device.

Yugi nearly sprayed his coffee everywhere.

“Well, unfortunately, duty calls. I’d let you follow me around, but you know, patient confidentiality and all.” Yugi apologized with a shrug.

“Oh, right. I get it! Plus I think it will be nice if I can just wander around a normal dimension for a bit to get my bearings before this thing” — Yugi tapped the device on his wrist — “Pulls me elsewhere again.”

“That’s a good idea!” The doctor agreed. They got up from the table and started walking down the hall back to the main elevators. Just as they exited the cafeteria, a smile appeared on Dr. Muto face as he waved at another fleece clad individual.

“Hi Allie!”

“Ah, Yugi! Long time no see. Surviving Gen Surg, eh?” A woman with short brown hair pulled out of the flow of people to chat. Her fleece jacket was embroidered with a radiation symbol and the words ‘Department of Radiology’.

“Yeah, I’m almost done.”

“You’ve got this!” She encouraged, her blue eyes crinkling slightly when she smiled. “On call this week?”

“Thursday.”

“Yeah, same here. Well, I will see you in the shadow realm then.” She said with a shake of her head as she moved off towards the cafeteria.

“Oh no. Yeah, you know it.”

The two doctors went their separate ways allowing the two Yugis to continue their trek towards the elevators. It was very interesting that, in the first dimension where he actually met himself, his counterpart and Atem would be this close. It made him think about the soulmate dimension. It was all very strange, and the more he tried to wrap his head around what possibly could be happening, they had already arrived at the elevators.

“If you take this up to main, you’ll be able to exit the building if you just keep heading straight.”

Yugi nodded and pressed the button to call the elevator. He never got on. A commotion sounded behind him as a loud thud rung through the foyer. A scream, a gasp and some cries for help sounded. Yugi looked towards Yugi, but his counterpart had already bolted to the man’s side.

“We need space people, please back up!” Yugi called out to the group who had swarmed the fallen before he lowered his voice down to an even tone. “Sir, I’m Dr. Muto, one of the residents here. What is going on?”

The man groaned weakly, the sound sputtering off. A few other people in scrubs pushed through the crowd to get to Yugi and the man.

“Sir, sir?” Yugi shook the man none too gently with one hand as he pulled the stethoscope from around his neck. He used it to listen to the man’s chest as he felt his wrist. His eyes widened slightly, as he looked back to the man who was now unresponsive.

“Call a code.” Yugi firmly instructed the man in scrubs across from him. “Heart rate of approximately 180, probably in V. Tach. He’s going to arrest.”

The man nodded and bolted for a phone on the wall. Sure enough, Dr. Muto’s brow furrowed as he released the wrist he had been holding and started chest compressions. Beeping sounded, but this time it went unsilenced. There were much more important things to do than answer.

“One, two, three, four…” Numbers muttered under his breath as his interlaced hands pushed down. He continued on his steady pace until Yugi heard a ‘thirty’ uttered. Breath check, two breaths. Then hands were right back on the chest.

“One, two, three, four…”

This continued for what felt like an eternity as Yugi watched on in equal parts shock and fascination. The way his counterpart had sprung into action was amazing. He kept so calm, spoke so evenly. He was in awe.

“One, two, three, four…”

Soon, several people in scrubs came bolting down the hallway, chased by another wheeling a large red cart. Once they had reached the man’s side, the two men in scrubs took over the chest compressions and the other two started to draw up medications and set up the defibrillator. Dr. Yugi Muto stood up and pushed his hair back, scanning the crowd briefly. He gave a small wave when he saw Yugi and pushed himself through the crowd to get to him. He tugged on Yugi’s shirt sleeve to prompt him to follow.

“You were amazing back there! You were so calm. How did you do that?”

“Lots of training.” Yugi said with a breathless chuckle. The compressions seemed to tire him, but his smile remained. “Now let’s get you out of here before someone else decides to try to die.”

Although the comment was a bit morbid, Yugi chuckled nonetheless. Dr. Muto remained by his side right up until they were at the front doors.

“It was really nice to, uh, meet you.” Dr. Muto said perplexedly as he stared into his own eyes. “Well, I guess I already know you, but you know what I mean!”

Yugi chuckled at the absurdity of all of this. “Yeah, I get it. It was nice to meet you too!”

Yugi moved towards the exit, but before he could cross the threshold, he hear one last call… and a silenced beep.

“Hey, good luck!” Dr. Muto said with a wink.

“Good luck to you too.” Yugi responded with a smile. With that, he was gone.

Outside was wonderful. Being away from that stagnant, overly sanitized air was a relief. The sunshine on his cheeks warmed him to his bones. He looked around the grounds before him and debated what he should do. Maybe grabbing a bite to eat would be a good place to start? Who knows how long he had left here. Since he seemed to be pulled between dimensions every few hours, by his calculations, he still had some time left.

He made it three steps.

The world tilted. Time stalled. Blue lights flooded his vision despite the bright sunlight.

_Here we go again._

**Snap.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Damn pagers. 
> 
> [My tumblr.](https://atems-leather-pants.tumblr.com)


	8. Along the Margins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How did I miss all of this?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 7: Childhood Friends AU
> 
> Sorry for the wait. Life gets a little busy sometimes!
> 
> Because I can't help these sort of things, I gave myself a little challenge when I wrote this chapter (see if you can guess it!). You'll notice that this is a bit different than my other pieces but I still think it turned out pretty cool, and I hope you like it just the same!

**Snap.**

Yugi’s eyes fluttered open. As soon as he did, he found that the dizziness hit him harder than it had the last time, causing him to teeter and fall backwards. Thankfully, there was a soft seat behind him to break his landing.

Closing his eyes, he swallowed the queasy feeling back down. His fingers clumsily gripped the edge of the bed, the only seemingly steady state in his swirling scene. The worn blanket felt good beneath his hands. Comforting. Familiar. He opened his eyes again, and peeked at the blue blanket between his fingers. His brain was not playing tricks on him, it was familiar! This blanket had been on his bed for most of his teenage years. He knew exactly where he was: his childhood room.

A bookcase containing various board and video games was pushed up against the wall exactly where he remembered it. His small worn wooden desk strewn with notebooks, pens and pencils was situated beneath the open window. A picture frame was on the nightstand and turned towards the bed. The small tan rug beneath his feet was worn but tidy. It was so surreal to be back.

He knew that this could not be _his_ room though.

During his first year of university, Yugi’s grandfather had fallen ill. He passed shortly thereafter. Although he had lived a very full and long life, it still hurt when he passed and Yugi found himself still missing his grandfather to this day. But the worst of the pain and loss came when he and his mother had to sell the game shop. Up until that point, he had lived his entire life in that small private residence upstairs. He remembered running out the front door to catch up with his childhood friend Tea on their daily walk to school. He remembered the many nights spent at that small desk studying… but mostly gaming. In spite of the snags at school, his childhood was good overall and he had many fond memories and a lot of these memories stemmed from this room.

Finally feeling as if he had found his bearings, Yugi gingerly stood up and crossed the floor to look at the calendar on the wall. He chuckled. This Yugi had chosen the exact same spot to hang it as he had. According to the crossed off days, today was June 29, 2016. Yugi scratched at the back of his head. How old would that make him? Although the math was easy, this question was not straightforward. Who knows if he still has the same birthday in all of these dimensions? The counterparts of his friends he had encountered along the way had definitely been born at a different time than back in his dimension. Atem, Kaiba and Joey all seemed to be in their twenties in that post apocalyptic world, but the dates on the posters littered around had been in the year 2041.

An idea struck him, and he looked up to June 4th in the hope of answers. Upon finding the day, he suppressed a groan. All it said was ‘my birthday!’. That was not helpful at all. Oh well, the answer to this question would definitely be elsewhere.

Yugi crossed over to the cluttered desk and started inspecting the items atop. Notebooks filled with math, science and history were stacked up along the right hand side, their edges slightly frayed from repeated journeys in a back pack. On a whim, he reached out and grabbed the first notebook: math. He flipped it open, and from his brief skim, he surmised that this was from a high school math course, maybe grade ten or eleven.

“So I’m in high school in this dimension…” Yugi muttered to himself as he flipped through.

Equations and instructions for solutions filled the pages, but he became more interested in the doodles along the margins. There were shapes and lines forming geometric patterns, intricate grids of boredom manifested by graphite. But there were also words. Out of place words. The most interesting of which was the word ‘Friday’ found at the top of page three, surrounded by stars with clumsy borders as if the pencil had ran their outlines many times. Right at the end was a single, solitary heart. 

_Friday? And what’s with the heart?_ Yugi glanced at the date atop the page: September 3, 2015.

In a moment of inspiration, he moved back towards the calendar in hopes of finding the answer. To his chagrin, the calendar on the wall was only for 2016. He sighed, rubbing at the back of his head in mild frustration as he returned to the desk. He finished leafing through the notebook and returned it to the desk. The history and science notebooks did not provide any more insight into the importance of that Friday.

Turning his attention now towards the desk drawers, Yugi opened up them up one by one. The top drawer was a junk drawer of sorts, filled to the brim with pencils, paper clips, action figures and other assorted toys. Yugi picked up a small red toy car with a smile. He loved these things as a kid, and clearly his other dimensional self too. Looking at that red paint, which was slightly chipped off the front bumper likely from one too many rough collisions, Yugi started to recall his childhood. He only had a few friends when he was very young and spent the majority of his time playing with his own toys and games in his room.

_I wonder if this me was the same way? Oh, I wonder…_

Curiosity taking over, Yugi crouched down onto his hand and knees in order to look under the bed. If he knew himself like he thought he did, there may be something here that could help him get more insight into his counterpart’s childhood. He chuckled knowingly as he pushed aside a couple shoe boxes labeled ‘homework’ that certainly did not contain homework to find the item he was was looking for. He gripped the larger plastic container and pulled it out from underneath the bed. Blowing away the layer of dust on top, his hands then moved toward the lip, hovering for a moment in anticipation before he finally opened the lid.

In a way, this looked very much like the box he had kept beneath his bed during his childhood. It was filled to the brim with favorite toys, drawings, games, pictures, birthday cards and the like. He picked up action figures and trading cards, some of which were familiar while others were not, each receiving a fond look nonetheless before they were placed aside. His hand found a picture prone, and as he flipped it around, his heart gave a little flip as well.

Two boys who could not be any older than eight grinned up at him. His younger self had been pulled half way into a headlock by the other boy who sported similar tricolour hair, eyes screwed shut as if to make space for the wide smile that split his face. His younger self did not seem to mind. He was captured mid laugh at the arm around him. Along the margin were two names and a date written in what could only be his mother’s cursive: Yugi and Atem, 2004. He smiled nearly as wide as Atem.

“We are childhood friends in this dimension!”

Curious to see more, he fished around the box for all of the pictures he could find. There were some loose ones in the box, but many were found tucked safely away from time and tear in a photo album. Yugi chuckled at the sight. His own mother had hid a similar album in his memory box. He pushed aside the toys his alternate self held in high esteem so he could grab the album and start leafing through. Sure enough, many of the pictures were of him and Atem, sometimes the only ones in frame, and other times as a part of a larger group. Other children he did not recognize were often in the shots until his visage got a bit older. It was at that time when familiar faces started to appear. Joey, Tristan, Tea, Ryou. They were all there.

As he flipped through, his heart soared with a strange form of nostalgia. These were not his memories of his own childhood, but in a strange way, they sort of were. He could practically feel the joy of his younger self as stared at the photo of him splashing in the pool on a warm summer day, a wave of water rising up from his hands to hit a none-too-pleased Atem square in the face.

As they grew older the album got sparser. The pictures became few and far in between. Those that did exist held less smiles and much more eyeliner. Yugi chuckled at a particular picture that made him look vaguely like a raccoon. He also had sported that look in the past. It had taken him several months to learn the right weight of line and several years to perfect the line every time. There were copious amounts of belts, buckles and grungy t-shirts in a lot of these photos. He had worn the same thing too at one point, and even though his own style had matured somewhat, but he still kept the some parts of his punk self near. His hand went to the buckle of the choker around his throat. Some things never change.

Atem did not seem to go through the same phase. Yugi looked to a picture where both of them would have been about fourteen years old. Atem’s baggy, one-size-too-big shirts he wore as a small child finally seemed to fit him. His dark jeans clung to him perfectly and the leather boots he wore in a lot of the shots gave him an almost dangerous edge. Not a hair was out of place on his perfectly coiffed head. He looked cool. Popular. The smile he wore, which had subdued through the years had become just a touch cocky and was so fitting to his aesthetic. Yet here he was, hanging out with someone who would clearly have been labeled a misfit by the popular crowd.

Despite Atem’s persistent presence in the pictures, that initial smirk seemed to fade. Soon, Atem was captured appearing more pensive, and the smiles he did occasionally wear never met his eyes. With a frown, Yugi continued to slowly flip the pages. He quickly realized that his own counterpart’s smiles had faded too. His gaze lingered on a Polaroid group shot. There was something about that one group shot. All of their friends were in a close huddle, squeezing together to fit into frame. Atem and Yugi had chosen to flank the group on opposite sides. Despite their friends’ smiles, Yugi could not help but notice that both boys looked like they would rather be any place but here. It all felt cold. Wrong.

 _What was going on? Did they have a falling out?_ There were nothing in the previous photos to point towards any of that that, though. Maybe he was reading too far into these pictures. It all could be easily explained by teenage angst and not wanting to pose for pictures that were probably taken by an overzealous mom or friend. He still could not shake the feeling, though. No matter his attempts at trying to explain what was going on, the cold grip on his heart remained.

As he flipped through the last two pages of photos, something odd was evolving. His counterpart’s eyeliner mercifully receded, and a similar line appeared around Atem’s eyes. In the next picture, he swore his alternate self was wearing the same t-shirt he saw Atem wear a couple pictures back. The next photo was a Polaroid candid of Atem and Yugi playing a board game, eyes locked in friendly competition with Joey grinning in the background. Familiar, easy smiles had reappeared on their faces in a beautiful synchrony. Whatever had gotten between them seemed to have vanished.

One last picture remained. It was picture of Atem and Yugi entwined in a similar pose to the first picture he had found. They had their arms wrapped around each other’s shoulders, holding the other so close that their cheeks nearly touched. Yugi recognized that smile on his alternate’s face. He looked like he was having the time of his life! As his eyes shifted onto Atem, his heart nearly stopped. Even though that Yugi’s eyes were closed in joy, Atem’s were open and gently trained on Yugi despite the camera’s presence. Atem’s smile was not nearly as wide as his own, but the emotion behind was even more powerful and it took his breath away.

This was the first time he had seen that sort of smile in this photo album. In fact, it was a smile he knew well. It was soft, attentive and honest. There was no showy half smile or pretenses. Just a quiet, almost intimate bliss conveyed by a single, simple expression. With a quiet, thoughtful hum, Yugi closed the album and sat back on his heels. He realized that his Atem smiled at him like that sometimes. Really, most of the time in recent memory. Whenever he’d tell Atem about his day, he would see that smile. Those late night cups of coffee offered during study sessions were often accompanied by that smile. Even in the heat of a competitive games night, with friends or just between the two of them, that smile would slip through.

_Oh._

He ran a hand through his hair as tried to process the flurry of emotions that overwhelmed all of his rational thoughts. _He… he’s not…?_

Despite his attempts to refute, it was clear as day from that look in that photograph that Atem was enamored. Hopelessly lost, heart adrift with no hope of an anchor in sight. In love. He would have to be blind to have missed it…

 _I can’t believe it. I have been missing the signs this entire time!_ Yugi realized with a start as he jumped to his feet, his thoughts no longer about the two teens. _My Atem… he’s been…_

Yugi let out an astonished gasp, heart fluttering in his chest, as he began to pace the room to disperse the excited energy threatening to take him over. _This explains everything! I am such an idiot for missing it!_

His pacing slowed a few minutes later as he tired, the adrenaline quickly leaving his system. He fell onto the bed, the wind coming out of him in a puff as he flipped over onto his stomach. He laid there for a moment, face planted deep into the pillow before finally turning it outwards to breathe. The second he brought in his first breath, it came out as a laugh as he saw a very obvious answer to a previous question.

On the nightstand was a picture frame containing the final piece of the puzzle. It contained selfie of the two of them taken right here in this room, Yugi’s lips pressed lightly against a blushing Atem’s cheek. He pressed his face into the pillow to stifle his laughter. It all made sense. As his giddiness subsided, he let his mind wander back to his apartment, back to earlier that fateful day. They were planning a nice night in. Yugi dopely recalled how Atem shot him that particular smile as he offered up a pizza and games night before this whole chaotic journey happened.

_Wait._

Yugi sat up ramrod straight in bed as he played that offer over in his mind again. _‘I was wondering if you’d like to maybe order a pizza and, uh, hang out this evening?’_ Now that Yugi thought about it, Atem had sounded off. A little more awkward than usual, but he had thought nothing of it at the time. It was not an unusual request, they had often spent many nights together on the couch, playing games or watching TV or simply enjoying each other’s company. But with this last offer, was Atem trying to… make a move? Along the same lines, had he been trying to make moves in the past? A blush prickled his cheeks at the possibility.

He did not have much time to lament about his obliviousness, as he heard a car pull up outside the game shop. He suddenly realized just how strange it might be for someone in his family to find a much older version of himself rifling through his room. He needed to leave before he was spotted.

“I had better clean this all up first.” Yugi chuckled to himself as he took in his mess. He placed the photo album and toys back in the box, pushing it under the bed. Quickly, he then proceeded to smooth the blanket and fluff the pillow. Just as he was arranging the notebooks on the desk back to how he found them, as he heard the car shut off.

Back at the window, he watched this dimension’s Yugi get out of the passenger seat as Atem exited of the driver’s side not a moment later. As the younger Yugi threw his backpack over his shoulder, Atem rounded the front of the car. He stopped in front of Yugi and said something, which prompted the amethyst eyed youth to laugh. Atem’s shoulders shrugged briefly beneath his black t-shirt in response. Yugi watched his adolescent self quiet down as he reached out to grab one of Atem’s hands, tugging it gently so Atem would take a step closer. They spoke words unheard to Yugi’s ear, but he found that he did not care what they were saying. The radiant look on his counterpart’s face said it all.

Atem closed the gap to roughly nuzzle a kiss onto the crook of Yugi’s neck, which prompted the slightly shorter male to giggle and swat at Atem’s shoulder playfully in retaliation. Atem redoubled his efforts, which only further spurred on the fit of giggles. Yugi stared out the window for a moment, a content smile on his face as he watched the two boys in love.

 _When I get back, we need to talk._ Yugi promised himself. There was so much he wanted to say. No, _needed_ to say. Now if only he could get home…

Yugi glared down at the device on his wrist that had become the epicenter of all this madness. It had become both his benefactor and his tormentor, leading him to people and places that had incrementally opened his eyes but simultaneously crushed his heart. He tried to temper his flare of pain and frustration, but found himself unable to.

“Dammit.” Yugi cursed. He wanted to go home, but with every snap, home seemed a step farther away. He took a deep breath to steady himself, pushing away the hurt for now so he could focus on the here and now.

He looked out the window just in time to see Atem lean in to press a small, chaste kiss on his lips. Absentmindedly, one of Yugi’s hands reached up to linger briefly against his own lips. The kiss was broken, and with a start, Atem pulled away towards the game shop. His counterpart called out an audible “Hey! Wait for me!” as he jogged to catch up.

Yugi’s time had run out, he needed to leave before he was noticed. Thankfully, he knew Kame Game Shop like the back of his hand and the best way to get out unnoticed by the two teens who were about to enter in the front door. He stopped to take one last fond look at the room. Then he was gone.

Yugi exited the back door as soon as he heard the front door open and made his way along the wall of the shop until he finally rounded the front. He stepped off the grass onto the sidewalk and started walking away from the shop. To where, he did not know… but he now finally knew towards what.

He crossed the road and entered the park where he had played in so many times as a kid. Eventually he stopped at a bench shaded by a large tree and sat down to collect his thoughts. Placing his backpack on his lap, he took a moment to watch the pigeons pick away at seeds left for them on the sidewalk before pulling something out of his pocket. It was the tiny red car. He gently placed it in the bag alongside the spoon from his dystopian dinner and the coffee rewards card from the hospital he had been handed by the cashier. The car was a nice memento, but he had an even better one.

Yugi fished his phone out from the pair of jeans and carefully turned it on. Even though it had no service in these dimensions, it was still good for something thing. Before he had put the box back under the bed, he snapped a photo of two very special and complimentary photos. He smiled at his phone as he flipped between the beginning and now. Who knew what the future held for the these two? He hoped it was wonderful.

No sooner had he turned off his phone and placed it back in his bag, the world started its familiar dip. Yugi shrugged on the backpack as he stared at the birds with dizzy eyes. It was time for the next journey. A determined look crossed his face. From now on, he was going to try to find a way back home. There was so much to return to and so much he needed to do.

Blue light. White.

**Snap.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Pictures of you, pictures of me...](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmUtXrDBVtE)
> 
> [My Tumblr](https://atems-leather-pants.tumblr.com)


	9. Sidekicks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Do you even remember why I'm here in the first place?!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 8: Super heroes/Superpowers AU
> 
> Well, this one got away from me... so much for a goal of 3k or less per chapter...
> 
> (Warning: light violence and a little gore)

**Snap.**

Yugi’s vision swam and he cursed the device aloud. The one time he had landed in the hospital must have been a fake out, the nausea was actually getting worse with each transition to a new dimension. He felt more than saw the cool glass beneath his palms and the leather chair against his back. With a groan, Yugi put his head down as he tried everything not to pass out or hurl across the smoky glass table top.

“Who the fuck are you?” A voice snapped.

“Can you give me a minute and I will explain everything.” Yugi protested a little weakly, his cheek remaining firmly pressed against the glass. “This always takes a lot out of me…”

“What takes a lot out of you? How did you get in here in the first place? Answer me when I’m talking to you!”

Yugi felt a hand roughly entwine in his hair, jerking his head up. Yugi let out a confused groan as the harsh white lights seared his eyes. A face was silhouetted in the light, features almost indistinguishable except for a very characteristic, derisive scowl.

“I will ask you one last time. Who the fuck are you and how did you get in here?” A hand clad in a metal exoskeleton moved into his field of vision, blotting out the face momentarily, a circle of blue light emanating menacingly from the palm.

The nausea left in an instant and was quickly replaced by annoyance.

“Yugi Muto. I don’t know how I ended up here, or even where ‘here’ is. Please, could you take that out of my face?”

Yugi knew that this was a bold response, but something told him that it would be honoured. Seto Kaiba may be a bit of an asshole at times, but he was not a cold blooded killer. He also knew that the prideful man’s curiosity would win out in the end, effectively saving him from harm.

It definitely did.

“Who are you working for? You were sent by the Commission, weren’t you? I told them I didn’t need any help. Those bastards.” Kaiba nearly spat. “I’ve got everything under control.”

The hand left his hair and Yugi’s head lolled, nearly smacking the table. He caught himself and sat back in his chair. When he finally looked up again, he tried his best to stifle his giggle.

Now, Seto Kaiba as Yugi knew him could be a little dramatic. His clothing choices in high school, when not required to wear their school uniform, were often flashy and seemed to befit a ringleader better than a teenager. Maybe it was a side effect of being adopted by a rich family and inheriting the family business? Or maybe it was just Kaiba himself? Yugi was unsure. But he had never seen Kaiba in such an elaborate get up as he was wearing right now.

The lanky man was befitted in a silver metallic exoskeleton, its plates layered in tight adherence to one another like some sort of futuristic suit of armour. Circuits of blue and white coursed along its surface, providing a futuristic and almost otherworldly look to it, like pure light borne from rivers of plasma. The only part of Kaiba’s body that was not encased was his head, allowing for intimidating blue eyes to regard him openly with distrust.

“The Commission?” Yugi asked.

“The Commission of Heroes. Those stuffed suits always think that they are in the right. I do not need help from pathetic dunces who would not know their head from their ass.”

Although Kaiba was dead serious as he continued his tirade against this Commission, a group of superheroes that apparently all had sticks up their asses, Yugi struggled to hold in his laughter. He was used to Kaiba being stubborn and self-assured, but this was taking it to a whole new level. It seemed as if the man in the mech suit was getting poised to wage all out war against a group of professed heroes. _What sort of strange dimension is this?_

“Now what I don’t understand is why they’d send me a runt like you.” Kaiba’s eyes narrowed. “What are your powers? Please, for the love of money, I hope they are actually good this time.”

 _This time?_ “I don’t have a power.”

“‘Don’t have a power’? What sort of a joke is this…”

“It’s no joke. And for the record, I was not sent by the Commission.”

“Then who sent you?”

Yugi made a face. “It’s not really a ‘who’, but rather a ‘what’.”

Taking a bit of a gamble, Yugi held out the Kaiba Corp. device for the man to inspect. He told an abbreviated tale of how he got here. He explained that the device seemed to have a mind of its own, activating at irregular intervals and taking him to different dimensions seemingly at random. When his explanation concluded, Yugi expected a multitude of different responses. Incredulousness, disbelief, anger at a perceived lie, they were all appropriate responses in one way or another. What he did not expect was how Kaiba actually responded.

“Now why would I waste such a valuable piece of technology on a nobody like you?”

Yugi blinked. Kaiba skipped right over the part of how a device like this could even exist, although in a way, this was expected. Given the futuristic armour Kaiba wore, Yugi supposed this sort of technology was not out of the realm of possibility here. What really stuck him was this Kaiba’s abbhorence at his alternate self for such a wanton use of technology. This harsh outburst did beg the question, if Kaiba really did give Yugi this device, why? There had to be a reason. What was it?

“Do you have any idea why you would give someone a device like this?”

“Well, if I really wanted someone gone for good, this would be a good way of doing just that without getting my hands dirty.”

Given this almost knee jerk response, this Kaiba seemed to lack a bit more morals than the versions he was used to encountering. It made Yugi wonder what else this Kaiba would do… and why he needed that futuristic suit.

“Alright, yeah. But assuming that my dimension’s Kaiba was not trying to get rid of me in the most ridiculous way possible, why would he give this to me?”

The lanky man went silent for a moment, musing over the question with more serious intent this time. In all honestly, Yugi was expecting another snarky or self-righteous retort.

“You may be a guinea pig.” He finally stated as he walked around the table to seize Yugi’s wrist. “An unknowing test subject for new technology. Now why would I do that…?”

Yugi let out his breath in a huff. “Your guess is better than mine. I don’t even really know you in my dimension. Beyond a few less than friendly interactions in high school and attending one of your coding contests, we have never really talked.”

Kaiba let Yugi’s wrist go. “So this is all you’ve got? Just a band on your wrist that pulls you through wormholes in spacetime at a whim?”

Yugi did not know how to respond to that. He had many other things to offer, but in a world with superheroes — and their inevitable nefarious counterparts — what did he really have to offer? Sure, he had good strategic thinking and reflexes from all of the years he spent playing and designing games, but when faced with super speed or people who could shoot lasers out of their eyes, all of these skills would pale in comparison.

“Yeah.” Yugi admitted quietly. He tried to mask his disappointment but failed. In most of these worlds he had visited so far, he had been placed at an inherent disadvantage due to his lack of experience or knowledge. He was the one who needed to be pulled from the grips of danger, rescued like some sort of helpless animal. He wished for once that he could actually be the one to take control of his own direction. To make his own changes. To be the one that could finally help.

He got his wish today.

“I do need a diversion…” Kaiba muttered to himself, the words trailing off as he walked away from Yugi towards a set of frosted glass doors.

“Wait, what are you talking about?”

Kaiba turned to look over his shoulder. “One of my sidekicks went missing today. I spent the better part of my day trying to track him down. It appears he has been captured.”

“Captured?”

“Yes. Now generally I’d let him do whatever asinine thing he feels compelled to do because he always seems to pull through. But he’s been in a state recently and I don’t trust him to get out alive. If he dies, it will be bad for business.” Kaiba said frankly. “And we can’t have that.”

 _Of course that’s what he’d be preoccupied with._ Yugi mused. _Some things never change._ Although it was opportunity placed in front of him was too good to pass up. It was exactly what he needed. Although a part of him knew that what he was about to do was plain idiotic, the notion that he could actually help someone for once in one of these dimensions was too much of a pull for him to ignore. Awash in courage, Yugi spoke up, “You said something about needing a diversion?”

“Usually I would just go in myself in my suit, but the lair where his GPS signal last pinged is a notorious base for one of the most prolific villians in all of Domino. If I have a diversion, I’m sure I can get his ass out safely.”

A beat of silence hung before a spark of ingenuity flared behind Kaiba’s irises. He gave Yugi a once over. “You may be small, but if I lend you some tech, I think you could definitely be a diversion. Was that an offer?”

Yugi did not hesitate. It was time he started taking control. “Yes, I will be your diversion.”

“Hmph.” The sound, although arguably dismissive, was surprisingly followed by a curt affirmative nod. Yugi did not have time to regret his decision as he was quickly pulled into the next phase of the plan. “Follow me, I have some tech that should keep you alive. I will give you a quick run down on how to use it, but we need to leave as soon as possible. That idiot probably went looking for trouble and I’m sure he’s balls deep in it. Damn him.”

Yugi shook his head before sucking in a quiet breath and standing a bit taller, rising to his full height of five feet three inches. He was not going to back out now. Without further hesitation, he followed Kaiba beyond the frosted doors.

* * *

The plan was simple. So simple, in fact, that Yugi was a little wary. It seemed like Kaiba’s sidekick was being kept in a compound just outside of the city limits, in what appeared to be a concrete bunker that was once used during wartime. There was two entrances into the bunker, the main entrance in the front and an emergency passage out back. The plan was for Yugi to create a diversion at the back entrance, to make it seem like he was trying to break in. The security would be pulled towards that entrance, leaving a paucity of guards at the front door. Kaiba would then blast through and start to make headway towards finding his sidekick. Should Yugi be able to dispatch the security at his entrance, he would make his way back to Kaiba’s helicopter to await for their extraction. Once Kaiba saved the other hero , they would leave the property via the billionaire’s helicopter and their mission would come to an end.

It seemed easy, but there were so many things that could go wrong.

Yugi fidgeted with the exoskeleton he had been leant. A white band enclosed his head like a crown, pressing into his temples with a borderline uncomfortable pressure. A delicately rose tinted visor with integrated navigation and data output features rested just beyond his eyes, serving just enough to accomplish its purpose without being overly distracting. Luminescent magenta circuitry flowed across the band’s surface, cascading down the wires running along the back of his neck to the exoskeleton below.

He was not wearing a full suit of futuristic plate metal armour like Kaiba was, but rather, a half enclosed exoskeleton that coalesced into solid plates across vital parts of his body for added protection. Rods and hinges spanned limbs and joints like high tech futuristic braces. His hands and feet were clad in a similar set up as Kaiba’s, with blasters integrated into the palms and propulsion into the soles. Given enough practice, he was told that he could fly in this suit similar to having a jet pack strapped to his back, all the while having his hands free for blasting enemies. It was really a technological marvel, but Yugi did not have the time to sit back and admire it. In fact, ever since he had gotten the suit on, his logical lingering trepidation rose to the forefront.

 _Is this really a good idea?_ Yugi wondered as he turned to look out the window. He knew that Kaiba would want to get the mission done at all costs. Despite the assurances of the armoured man that if he were to get in over this head that he could call on the comm and Seto would come over to bail him out, he was not dense. He very well be left alone to fend for himself by the billionaire should the mission require it. It was not the more reassuring thought Yugi could have, but it was too late to change his mind.

No matter the nerves he felt as he sat in the helicopter on the way to the bunker, Yugi felt compelled that this was something that he should be doing. Someone needed help and Kaiba seemed to need it as well, albeit begrudgingly. He straightened his shoulders and gave a little determined nod to the empty seat in front of him. He was going to help.

A few minutes later, the helicopter landed in a clearing a short distance away from the bunker. Kaiba and Yugi exited the craft, which took off again before the noise its rotors made could alert any security that may be circulating around the periphery of the compound. Kaiba took off in the direction of the buildings without a further word. The man was clearly not one for pep talks. Yugi took one last moment to adjust his gear before he jogged to catch up.

Thankfully, the suit he wore had been thoughtfully designed to include hydraulics in the lower limbs, allowing for ease of movement with little energy expended. It also was very adjustable for the height of the user, much to Yugi’s relief. He was able to easily catch up to Kaiba and walk alongside him as he taller man weaved his way through the sparse forest.

“You remember the plan?”

“Yeah.”

“If I don’t find you in fifteen minutes, go back to the clearing and radio the helicopter. Roland will know what to do.”

Yugi nodded. They continued in silence, tree branches snapping quietly underneath their soles with nearly every step. Yugi’s mind wandered to the sidekick they were supposed to be saving. Kaiba had said something about being sent someone with powers from the Commission before. Yugi bit his lip in thought as he ducked to avoid a very low hanging branch. Could it be this sidekick they were about to save?

“This sidekick, was he sent by the Commission?” He finally caved and asked his question.

“Yes, he was sent here to help me when I was still a part of their moronic group. Now I can’t seem to shed him and he’s honestly been more trouble than he’s worth.” Kaiba grumbled. Although Yugi could see the man’s displeasure colour every word, Yugi sensed that was not all there was to it. If this sidekick was such a liability, Kaiba would have surely cut him loose by now.

They reached the edge of the forest and peered down at the compound situated at the base of the hill. Like Kaiba’s satellites had shown earlier, a large concrete dome surrounded by smaller single story concrete buildings lay in the center of the clearing. Yugi used his visor to zoom in on the door facing in their direction. There were no guard posted outside, but he was certain that there had to be a few just beyond that door.

“Alright, the timer starts now. Go fly to the back door and make a scene just how I instructed you. Do not deviate from the script. We will reconvene when I extricate the dweeb.”

Yugi felt a hand push him on his back, prompting him forward. Yugi widened his stance slightly and took a deep breath. This whole suit operated on a neural link. What you think is what you accomplish, within the capabilities of the technology of course. If you want to fly, you just envision yourself flying. If you can maintain a steady mental image of what you want to do it can be yours. Or so Kaiba had said. When Yugi had tried out the suit in Kaiba’s underground facility an hour ago, it was surprisingly easy to use.

It was not as easy now under pressure.

As soon as Yugi’s feet left the ground, his nerves flared. His legs quivered, the propulsion jets deviated slightly, causing his ascent to wobble. He cursed, bracing his arms against his sides as he tried to maintain that image of him flying over top the concrete dome to land safely on the other side. Another wobble. Another curse. Yugi took a couple deep breaths and furrowed his brow.

 _I can do this!_ Yugi reassured himself as he grit his teeth. His mental pep talk seemed to work, as his trajectory smoothened and he continued on his course. His hair whipped from within its crown, but Yugi did not care about it. He was much too excited. He was flying! Actually flying! Never in his life did he think that he would fly like this. No plane or helicopter, just him and a suit. It was the most free he had ever felt.

Soon his target came into view and he started thinking about his descent.

“Softly, softly. There!” Yugi whispered triumphantly as his feet touched the ground. He did not have much time to stop and celebrate his first flight. He knew that Seto was going to arrive at the front door in mere moments and that this plan would have the best possible chance of working if he were to start the diversion right away.

_Here I go._

Yugi raised an armoured fist to bang as loudly on the door as he could. Everything stayed still. No boots or voices were heard. No one seemed to register the unusual noise at the emergency exit. Time for plan B.

Taking a couple swift steps back, Yugi got himself into position. He planted his feet and braced for impact as best he could. Sucking in a breath, he held out both palms and envisioned two columns of light erupting from his hands. A whir filled the air for a nanosecond before the light erupted, radiating in a beam towards the door. The force from the blast kicked back a little, but he did not stumble. A loud bang rang through the air as the door was ripped from its hinges, folding inwards like a birthday card at its middle and clanging down the narrow hallway beyond.

That was definitely enough noise to thrust the base into high alert. Sirens blared, announcing the oncoming danger. Yugi took his first step through the threshold. He had been warned in general terms about what he could expect from the villians that were usually around this base. One could manipulate ice, freezing foes with one icy look. Another could create sonic booms with a solitary scream, incapacitating their foe before going in for the kill. There were at least a dozen villians that could be in this lair at any given time, but thankfully, only two seemed to come his way.

The first villain was definitely interesting. His visage resembled that of a scorpion, razor sharp blades embedded in his claw like upper extremities, gleaming like they had just been coated in an oily substance. Yugi decided that he definitely did not want to know what that substance was first hand. Before the villain had a chance to attack, Yugi walked forward and held out his palm, blasting a beam at the enemy. It ripped down the narrow corridor, enveloping the scorpion man in light. Yugi grinned. This may actually be easier than he expected! Just little stun-level blasts here and there would render the villains incapacitated and the sidekick would be saved in no time! He watched the dust settle to get a glimpse of his handiwork. But as it did, so did Yugi’s smile.

The scorpion man had keeled backwards, but remained on his feet the entire time. The murderous look in his eye and his gritted teeth made Yugi’s heart sink. He was definitely in for a fight.

The scorpion charged him with a loud cry, momentarily startling Yugi. He broke out of his stupor just in time to parry the bladed claw swung at his face. The sound of metal on metal rang in his ears as he watched the scorpion pitch forward with the momentum of his barbaric swing. Yugi quickly grabbed at the villains back, fingers sliding off man’s exoskeleton. Or was it his actual skeleton? Now was not the time to decide if this was a costume or this person’s actual body. He could hear footsteps approaching and needed to deal with this guy quick.

Yugi stopped his grapple and laid his palms square on the villain’s back. With a grunt, he fired another blast. The man crumpled under the force, slamming hard into the ground. Yugi jumped slightly as the body hit the wrought metal floor with a sickening sound.

“Damn! Ah, too much…” Yugi groaned in dismay as he stared at the man crumpled at his feet. _Check his pulse!_ Where did scorpions have pulses again? His panic at inadvertently killing someone quelled as he saw the insect man’s chest rise and fall. He was breathing. Breathing is good.

“Hey asshole!” A voice rang through the hallway, accompanied by the sound of boots skidding. Reinforcements had arrived.

The footfalls sped up just as he raised his eyes. A man with hair as white as snow dashed down the hallway with a snarl. He watched the man’s gaze drop to the ground and a sheet of ice spread down the hallway towards his feet. The ice flashed blood red with each cycle of the emergency light. Boots left metal to skid on the ice, the man sliding at a breakneck speed in his direction.

Yugi liked taking his time. He often took a moment to think things through before acting. In games he loved to strategize. To observe his opponent and act accordingly. However, he was not given the luxury of time here. He was two seconds away from a fist to the face, and honestly after all of the bullying he had to endure in grade school, he wanted to avoid this at all costs.

He acted. Reflexes propelled by his mind’s eye and aided by the Kaiba Corp. exoskeleton, he leapt over the body at his feet. His soles kicked in, a blast of force sending him flying straight and true down the hallway towards the man. The gap closed. Yugi crossed his arms across his face. Right as they contacted, he pushed. He watched with equal parts shock and awe as the frosty foe flew backwards down the hall, skidding to rest unconscious against the back wall.

Sirens wailing and his pulse rushing in his ear were the sound Yugi could perceive. There were no more footfalls. No more cries. Just the tinny screeches from alarms scattered throughout the base. It was time to flush out more of these villains. Yugi aimed his palms at the metal floor a few meters away and blasted it a few times, the noise ringing like gunshots through his skull. Still nothing. No one was coming to investigate. After a minute or two of trying everything he could think of to get more personnel to come towards his end of the bunker, Yugi realized that his efforts were likely for naught. No one was coming. They must all be preoccupied with whatever Kaiba was doing on his end.

_Kaiba… he may need my help._

It was a dangerous idea, and Yugi knew this, but he was not about to just turn around and wait in the clearing while Kaiba got attacked from all directions. The man may be difficult to work with, but he definitely deserved help. His mind made up, Yugi made his way down the hallway towards the glowing stairway sign. He opened the door and watched the dimly lit stars fade into darkness below. It looked like he could only go down from here. So down he would go.

His boots rang on the metal stairs as he descended at least three stories underground. Finally, he saw a door. The handle was unlocked and he pushed his way through. He was greeted by a hallway much better illuminated than the one at ground level. An alarm system signaled the panic state with periodic shrill beeps. Strings of fluorescent tube lights ran the upper walls gave the hallway an almost futuristic feel, as if he was staring down a walk way to a spacecraft. Yugi took his first few tentative steps forward, thanking his lucky stars that his steps did not ring out as loudly in this hallway. He peered at the frosted glass doorways as he walked by. The rooms were illuminated, but he could not sense any sounds or other evidence of occupancy.

Once again, beyond the alarms, things seemed quiet. Definitely too quiet. Where was Kaiba? Where was the sidekick? Where was this arch villian that was supposedly holding him hostage?

Yugi’s thoughts were interrupted by a bellow and a crash come from down the hall. A shadowy figure darted across behind the frosted glass followed by a thud. Then like a shot, a shadow crossed back with double the speed resulting in a delayed thud. Another cry, this time from a different man, rang out.

Yugi flexed his fingers in his plate metal gloves. It was time.

Taking a running start, Yugi propelled himself much faster than a human should be able to run down the hallway, lifting off the ground momentarily to slam a shoulder into one of the frosted glass doors. It shattered upon impact, breaking into a thousand small cubes. Yugi’s momentum carried him forward to fall back to earth, skidding along the ground to collide with the wall across from him. With a groan, Yugi lifted his head as quickly as he could to survey the situation. Thankfully his burst through the door was the least distracting thing happening in this room.

He lay in the corner of a large concrete space roughly the side of a soccer field. It’s domed ceiling at least two stories high. A balcony made of steel lined its periphery one story up, many doors visible along the adjacent walls. This room must have once been used as a conference room, but in it’s current state, it sure did not look like any conference room Yugi had ever seen. It lay in shambles, broken bits of concrete and table littered throughout. A small fire was burning through a pile of papers strewn from a filing cabinet along the west wall. Chunks had been blasted out of concrete pillars. An explosion suddenly rocked the room, and Yugi scurried towards a piece of upturned table for cover.

From the corner of his eye, he saw Kaiba hovering in mid air, firing blasts of white lightning from his hands at a man in a floating pod vaguely resembling an egg. Its upper half was comprised of a reinforced glass while the lower had a whole arsenal of barrels firing blasts of incandescent light in an almost constant stream. A haughty stare came from heterochromic eyes, one eye teal and the other yellow. Cyan hair cascaded down his back. The man was yelling his taunts into a small microphone, his almost regal voice filling the room.

“I can’t believe you think you can defeat me! Leviathan is an organization with near infinite power!” The villain sneered. Even with your little sidekick, you don’t have a chance!”

“Hmph. I don’t need him to kick your ass.” Kaiba retorted.

“I beg to differ. You needed me mere minutes ago.”

A dark figure darted off the balcony overseeing the room, falling to hover an inch above the ground for a second before landing softly on his feet with the grace of a jungle cat. Golden bangs and crimson tipped hair flared around him as if tousled by some unseen wind. Eyes glowed gold beneath a furrowed bronze brow and Yugi swore he saw golden arcs of light bounce between his fingertips.

_It’s Atem!_

" _I_ needed your help? Do you remember why I'm even here in the first place?"  
  
"I did not ask you to come." Atem reminded firmly.  
  
"You walked right into a lair without backup or even telling me!"  
  
"You are not my keeper, Kaiba."  
  
"Well, as my sidekick... "  
  
Atem's hair flared, a wind kicking up seemingly out of nowhere. He ignored their foe for the moment, turning to look directly at Kaiba. Yugi gazed on in fascination. Yugi watched as cracks started to form in the confident facade the man wore.  
  
"How many times do I have to tell you, I am not your sidekick."  
  
"Well, excuse me." Kaiba responded snidely. "That's exactly what you are. The Commission sent you to me back when I was with those clowns as my sidekick. That's what you are."  
  
"You are misremembering." the storm that was Atem brewed. "They sent me to you as a partner to temper you. You are talented and resourceful, but often hot headed. It is a liability."  
  
"To 'temper' me? Well, you sure are tempering me right now!"  
  
A blast from the villain cracked between them, narrowly missing Kaiba. He looked up with a grunt, while Atem trained his glared at their common foe, shifting his weight onto the balls of his feet.  
  
"The peanut gallery grows bored of your whining. Sidekick or not, I'm going to kill you both for thinking you could ever take me." The cyan haired man cried, letting loose another blast from the barrel beneath his floating pod.  
  
Atem nimbly jumped back and caught himself in mid air. A pulse of energy felt more than seen rippled off Atem. A couple meters in front of him, Yugi watched as an up turned office chair twitched where it lay. As if grabbed by an invisible hand, the chair rose into the air to hurl itself at the man in the pod. The pod dipped just in time for the chair to deflect off the glass dome with little effect.  
  
"It's going to take more than a stupid chair to stop me!"  
  
More blasts arched from the pod, riddling the floor with holes and causing concrete to fly. Kaiba and Atem initially dodged these blows, but soon the blasts and flying concrete threatened to overwhelm them, and they ducked for cover beneath part of the up turned conference room table.  
  
"I will pull Dartz's attention while you go and grab him from his pod." The instruction by the 'sidekick' carried to where Yugi huddled just a few steps away.  
  
Yugi watched the two heroes continue building their plan in imperceptible whisper tones while the multifocal blasts and taunts ensued, quickly eroding their cover and their patience. He weighed his options. Intervening may only mean that he got in their way, potentially making things even more difficult. But on the other hand, the 360 degree blaster and it's raining coverage would be hard for anyone to infiltrate through unscathed. If he could pull even a little bit of the heat off the heroes, then maybe they could finally get this guy.  
  
Yugi watched as Kaiba raised a hand above the nearly fragmented conference room table to fire a blast of white lightning at Dartz. The electronic interface beneath the villain sizzled briefly, but the pod did not fall.  
  
"Surge protection. It will take a lot more than your static charge to take me down!" Came the retort. Another barrage of blasts hit the table. A muffled cry rung out.

Atem clutched his side, a curse slipping from his lips. Yugi's eyes widened as fear washed over him. He almost ran from his hiding place to Atem's side, but he stopped himself. This Atem did not know him, and for all he knew, he might suspect him for an enemy. Yugi knew that the Kaiba Corp. suit he wore was powerful, but he know he did not stand a chance against the experienced telekinetic Atem appeared to be.

Kaiba surveyed the wound quickly, his snort perceptible between blasts. "You were grazed, deal with it. We're enacting the plan."  
  
Atem cursed again and stood up. He spread his arms, and fragments of concrete rose around him. Before a blast could land, he let out a growl and sent the debris flying in the direction of the pod.  
  
The concrete hit its mark, causing the pod to careen slightly. Kaiba seized his opportunity amongst the chaos as he rocketed towards the foe. His fist raised, he let loose a devastating punch. A web of cracks appeared in the glass. Punch. Punch. Punch. The pod weaved wildly in the air, trying to shake off the nuisance before the damage was too much. A dip eventually shook off his footing.  
  
Kaiba fell, his arm's flailing as he tried to activate his thrusters. But before he could, his descent abruptly stopped. Yugi saw Atem staring upwards, one hand clutching his side, the other outstretched towards Kaiba. The telekinetic gently set Kaiba down on the ground, before breaking his hold with a noticeable wince.  
  
"See, you need me." Atem's words were somewhat terse with pain, but the glint of his taunt shone though.

Kaiba huffed arrogantly in response. With a burst, he tried to close in on the pod once again, zig zagging through the shots with relative ease. That is, until he got hit with one of them.

“Kaiba!” Atem shouted. He made a somewhat rash decision, running out into the center of the room, collecting items in his telekinetic grasp. He hurled chairs, broken bits of wood, concrete, and even papers. Debris rained down on the pod as Atem slid to Kaiba’s side.

“Are you hurt?”

“Yes, you idiot. I’m — annngh.” Kaiba grasped at his foot. Or rather, what was left of it.

Yugi could not see what was going on, but from the look on Atem’s face, he knew it had to be bad. The two heroes couched behind a chunk of concrete much too small for cover. Surprisingly, the firing ceased.

“Oh would you look at that, finally the Neutron Blast’s arrogance caught up to him.” Dartz taunted. “You act like your suit makes you invincible, but all it really does is mask the truth. That is, you’re just a weak, human man who thinks he can walk with giants.”

Kaiba snarled and he tried to stand. Atem hushed him and pushed him back to sit.

“That’s right. Stay where you are, both of you. Don’t try anything funny, I can shoot you before you can even make your move.”

Beneath the pod, three barrels honed in front and center to train on the two heroes crouched below.

“You two are so naive to even think that you could win this. Any last words?” Came the final question, the man consumed and victorious.

The barrels glowed. The pod hummed. A man screamed.

Yugi had taken off faster than he thought would have been possible, launching himself through the air to ram the glass of the pod. The dome disintegrated under the force, barely hindering Yugi’s momentum. The amethyst eyed man slammed into Dartz, clutching at his robes as the force carried him beyond. Yugi and Dartz fell entangled, the nearly twenty foot drop over in a mere instant. Their bodies crashed down hard into a pile of rubble.

Stars burst in front of Yugi’s eyes as he laid there for a moment. His body ached, but he did not think any thing was broken. Maybe this would change when he finally decided to get up. He sure hoped it would not. Finally after a few moments, Yugi pulled himself up to a half sit with a groan. To his right, Yugi saw Dartz out cold where he lay. As much as he’d like to go check on Dartz’s condition, he had more pressing matters to deal with.

Across the floor, he had finally been spotted by the two heroes. Kaiba still sat on the floor, his scowl deepening in displeasure as he stared at Yugi. He was likely very pissed given Yugi’s blatant disregard for his plan. Yugi’s gaze hovered there for a moment, the irritation an oddly welcome sanctuary for what he was about to have to face.

Over this entire journey, he found that his perception of Atem had been changing. Evolving. Through his interactions with these alternate dimension counterparts, he had started gleaning more insight into what might be going on in his Atem’s mind. The smiles, the kind acts, the protectiveness. Yugi was still sorting it all out and processing his own emotions, but he could not deny that it made him excited. Hopeful. And perhaps a little awkward. Despite the battle having ended, his heart continued to hammer. Would he see that smile here? No, it would be silly to hope for that! They probably did not even know each other in this dimension. It was better to set the expectations low and just see what this Atem was like. Even though all of these Atems seemed to be cut from the same cloth, they each had their quirks. Different facets of their that personality shone through given their upbringing and life circumstances. It was time to see what this Atem was like. With a small breath to calm himself, he turned to face him.

This Atem was definitely different.

The hero in front of him stood there in silence. No greeting. No warmth. No questions. No answers. His lips had been pressed into a thin line, the remainder of his face completely blank. It was not long before the facade broke. His features contorted to something caught between a grimace and frown. His eyes were different though. They almost looked… pleading?

“Kaiba, why in the hell is one of your suits on my ex?”

“Your ex?” Yugi and Kaiba said in unison.

Yugi was dumbfounded. Absolutely shocked. He struggled to get to his feet while the words sunk in.

“Kaiba, answer me this instant!” Atem’s voice boomed, but the confidence was not there. In fact, his order held such a clear undercurrent of hurt that it made Yugi’s heart ache. He wanted to reach out and comfort him, but from the look on Atem’s face, the last person that man wanted comfort from right now was him.

“It’s a very long story, but this is not the guy you’ve been dating.” Kaiba rubbed his head.

“What are you talking about? This is Yugi Muto.” Atem thrust a hand roughly in Yugi’s direction.

“I can explain —” Yugi found himself offering, but was cut off abruptly.

“Explain what?” Atem swung around in his direction, gaze as sharp as daggers. “I think you did a fine job explaining why you left me two days ago.”

Yugi paled. _So I apparently broke up with him in this dimension just a couple days ago. What happened?_ His mouth opened, but no words came out.

For the briefest of moments, Yugi watched tears pool in the corners of Atem’s eyes. The next moment, Atem was gone.

“Kaiba, lend me your phone.”

“What?”

“Hand it over.” An insistent order hissed through clenched teeth.

For the first time in his life, Yugi watched as Kaiba complied quietly and handed over the phone. Atem strode off decidedly towards the back of the room, punching in a number by memory as he walked. Yugi took the opportunity to limp over to Kaiba.

“Kaiba, your foot!” Yugi gasped

Up close, the damage was worse than he had expected. The blast had gone clean through Kaiba’s foot, a hole the size of a saucer left in its wake. The edges were charred, and to his surprise, there was minimal bleeding.

“The good thing about those plasma blasters is that they do cauterize flesh wounds. That is, if there is any tissue left after the disintegration.” Kaiba relayed, his pain becoming more and more poorly hidden by the passing minute.

Yugi had nearly come up with a plan to get Kaiba back to his… foot and start getting out of this lair when Atem returned. He tossed the phone roughly at Kaiba’s chest, who caught it just before impact.

“Help is coming to contain these villains. I’m going for a walk.”

“Atem, would you calm down for just one second?” Kaiba snapped. “Someone needs to watch these villains. I know you. Your righteous ass would not like them getting away just because your to soft to deal with a little personal problem.”

Yugi winced at the harsh words, but to his surprise, the goad was effective. Atem let out a grunt and walked a few steps away, turning to face in the direction of Dartz’s unconscious body.

It was not long before the cavalry arrived. In his absence, Atem had called the Commission of Heroes for back up and soon a dozen heroes in flashy outfits descended upon the place. They rustled up the half dozen or so villains they had all dispatched, loading them up into what looked like a series of power dampening specialized enclosures. Although the clean up of the aftermath was interesting, Yugi found himself not caring. His attention kept shifting towards Atem, scratched and bloodied, holding his side as he rested on what was left of a concrete pillar a few meters away.

 _I wonder what happened to him and his… me?_ Yugi wondered. He knew better than to ask those questions right now. Anyways, they were being signaled that their transport out of this place was ready.

Just as Yugi turned to leave, he noticed a distance in Atem’s gaze as he stared unseeingly across the room. He hated seeing him see him this way, but there was nothing he could do right now. Maybe soon.

* * *

The briefing at the Commission of Heroes was onerous and Yugi found himself more bored than he had ever been in any of these dimensions. There was something about bureaucracy that took the fun out of something as interesting as fighting villains. He had never wished for the device to activate as much as he had in that moment. Despite his internal pleas, it did not activate, much to his dismay.

Several hours later, Yugi wound up back in the Kaiba Corp. base sitting at a conference room table across from Atem. Atem clearly did not want to be there, but somehow Kaiba had convinced — or maybe threatened? — him to sit and actually hear Yugi out before heading to the hospital have his foot examined. Hoping his tale would bring the him some ease, Yugi told his story without hesitation.

“… Kaiba needed a diversion, so offered and was given the suit to use. I went to help at the lair, and well, you know the rest.” Yugi concluded. Part way through the conversation, Yugi had noticed a shift in Atem. The animosity that had been initially present had slowly dissipated, his hurt seeming to settle into a dull ache. But he could sense it was still there.

Atem continued to sit in silence, staring just over Yugi’s shoulder as if deep in thought. Finally he spoke. “I am sorry for how I reacted when we first met.”

“It’s alright, Atem. I understand. I don’t blame you at all.”

Despite Yugi’s best reassurances, Atem still seemed to wince at his words. He looked down at his hands, thoughts pulling him under once again.

In that moment, Yugi decided to take a risk. His curiosity could not be denied any longer. “What happened between you and your… me?”

“He broke up with me. What’s more to say?” The baritone voice was like gravel, his eyes never lifting from the table.

“I really don’t mean to pry, but why? Seeing as I’m sort of… him, maybe I can help you figure out if there’s anything that can be done?”

Atem finally looked up to give Yugi the most confused look he had ever seen. That helpless, lost at sea gaze made him feel the exact same way. He wished more than anything that he could make it go away. Despite the intrusiveness of the question, Atem actually responded without deflection.

“I was told that I was too preoccupied with my work.” Atem responded quietly. “He said that I cherished being a hero above anything else. Above him. But he knows that is not true.”

“What did you say?”

“I reassured him that he was the most important thing in my life, but he would not hear any of it. Next thing I know, he was leaving my place.”

Yugi shook his head. Yeah, he could admit that after a while, feeling like he was playing second fiddle to a career would have grated on his nerves. It would have been hard to live with. Yugi bit his lip in thought. _If I was that Yugi, what would I want him to do?_

“I think what you need to do is apologize.”

“I tried that —”

“Not just with your words, but also with your actions. Show him how this all has changed you. Prove to him that he is your priority.”

Atem sighed. “How?”

A smile tugged at the corners of Yugi’s mouth. “Invite him over for a talk. Order a pizza. Play some video games. Actually talk. Show him just how much you care. I have a feeling all he wants is to know that… and that he misses you just as much too.”

For the first time in this dimension, Yugi saw a smile tug at Atem’s lips.

Then he saw something else.

“No! Not now!” Yugi tapped at the band at his wrist. “There’s still more I need to say!”

“Is it activating?” Atem murmured in mystification. “Are you being pulled away?”

“Yes.” Yugi sighed.

He looked back to Atem. For the first time since this journey had started, he was the one who had helped Atem. He just wished he could help him more, but deep down, he knew Atem was more than capable of saving this day on his own.

The world spun as the light grew. It was time for the inevitable.

**Snap.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [My Tumblr.](https://atems-leather-pants.tumblr.com)


	10. Falling away with you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's a long story, are you sure you have time?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 9: Royalty AU
> 
> I am sorry.

**Snap.**

The first thing Yugi felt was heat. A pervasive, almost oppressive heat enveloped him from all directions. He blinked against the harsh sunlight. For the first time he felt no ill effects from the device. His head was clear and the horizon was steady before him. Although, the horizon that unfurled beyond his eyes was also very unexpected, even for his new standards.

There was sand so far as the eye could see. No plants, no animals. Just sand. The wind kicked up, and as it did, a cloud of sand threatened to engulf him. Yugi shielded his eyes as got to his feet, brushing off loose sand from his jeans and the bottom of his backpack. He idly wished that he would have taken a pair of Seto’s sunglasses from the last dimension and not the rose tinted visor from his suit. They did nothing to shade his eyes from the intense desert sun.

What was he supposed to do now? He turned slowly, eyes scanning the horizon for a clue as to in which direction he should go. The heat was already starting to get to him and Yugi could already feel the sweat dripping off his brow. If he did not find water and shelter soon, this could end up being the most dangerous dimension he had visited so far. It could be deadly, in fact. The thought prompted a paradoxical shiver to run down his spine. Other than the obvious exposure, this dimension could also be hiding many other terrors beneath its sands.

There. A faint dark glimmer hung on the horizon. He stared for a moment as he tried to make sense of it. He had no clue what it was, but it may be his salvation. Maybe it was an oasis? Or civilization? Really anything but more sand would be considered better than here. No matter what it was, it was his only option to escape exposure. Yugi adjusted his backpack straps and started walking somewhat clumsily through the sands towards that dot on the horizon.

The journey felt like it took hours, but Yugi knew it could have only been minutes. To his delight, the spot had not been a mirage, and as he approached, it started to loom. Walls of sandstone grew out of the sands before his eyes, the ground beneath his feet becoming firmer and more like the soil he was used to. He continued on, his pace slowing and tongue dry. He would have done almost anything for a drink of water right now, and surprisingly started missing the times where he had been soaked and cold.

His skin was feverish by the time he reached the gates, which were several stories high. To his surprise, the were open. A strange sense fell upon him. A beckoning. A call. A pull of sorts he could not quite describe but was undeniably there. He crossed the threshold and stared down the main street.

Something was off about this place. The enclosed city was huge but no one seemed to be around. Carts and stalls bearing wares from a time that Yugi had only read about in textbooks lined the road, but no one was attending to them. The wind kicked at his ankles again, blowing in the direction of the next set of gates on display near the end of the road. Those gates were closed, but from beyond them, Yugi could make out an extravagant, ancient appearing building that would have put the castles from his dimension to shame. Even from a distance, he could tell that its sandstone had been carved with delicate intent and reverence, a show of artistry and power on display for the world to see. It was spectacular and the sight took his breath away.

His feet carried him to a few meters away from the closed gate doors. Just as he was about to stop, the ground beneath his feet started to shake. At first it was soft, barely perceptible through the soles of his runners, but the vibrations grew. The gates were opening. They parted at the middle and were pulled aside slowly by an invisible force. On the other side of the gates sat the oasis he had been daydreaming of ever since he took his first step. Green grass outlined the dirt path and surrounding the base of the expansive garden, tamarisk and date trees dotting the landscape. He passed by acacia with their small, delicate blooms on his way towards the front steps of the most extravagant building he would likely ever enter in his life.

The craftsmanship and artistry of the palace’s stone walls was even more beautiful up close. He walked up to one of the ornately carved statues situated at the base of the stairs, running his hand over the large sphinx’s paw before turning for the stairs. His feet scuffed lightly as he made his ascent, the rough noise the only thing other than the wind rustling through the trees that he could hear. Why was this city abandoned? Why were the gardens empty? Where was everyone?

From the desert, architecture and the statues, he knew he had to be in Egypt. Ancient Egypt, to be specific. He had spent many evenings sharing the dinner table with Atem, listening to his roommate talk about his history courses. Ancient Egyptian history was Atem’s favourite and he talked about it frequently. Although Yugi did not have the same ancestral ties to that time as Atem had, he still loved hearing about it all the same. Yugi felt a lump in the back of his throat form.

 _I wish Atem was here to see this. He would have loved it._ Yugi thought to himself with a small, sad smile. _I wish he was here with me._

The lump grew, but before it could choke him off completely, Yugi pushed the bittersweet thought away. He would see Atem again. He had to. There must be an end to this.

The timber of his steps changed as he entered into the dimly lit grand hall. Despite the low lighting, the gold of the statues and other ornate pieces glinted, catching his eye momentarily. Torches lined the room’s periphery, filling the room a weak, yet warm glow. A solitary beam of light ascended from the heights to fall at the base of a throne. A man in robes looked up from where he had been gazing at a small inverted, golden pyramid that hung from around his neck. He seemed to freeze. Yugi froze too.

Yugi watched as the man slowly rose to stand, his legs the only thing within the light. Cloth sandals clad his feet. Toned, bronzed legs were partially covered by a cream tunic and blue sash that hit him at mid thigh. The man took a step forward and Yugi took an involuntary step back.

Familiar tricolored hair framed a familiar face. His features were obscured by distance and eyes by the shadows from his crown, but Yugi knew who he was. It had to be him. Atem.

Atem left the spotlight and silently made his way down the stairs, his golden crown catching the torchlight while his jewelery softly chimed with every step. As much as Yugi wanted to call out and greet the man he knew, he held back as he waited for it all to unfold.

As Atem crossed the floor, every step ringing out in the hall, Yugi watched his body language shift. The man’s shoulders fell, his pace quickened as his steps became less refined, less regal. Yugi lifted his eyes just in time to catch Atem’s face as it came into view.

It broke him. Absolutely broke him.

The look of pain was unlike anything he had ever seen. Of shock and awe filled with a bittersweet longing like a widower seeing the ghost of their beloved. Of disbelief drifting in a river of poorly concealed disquiet. But most of all, there was this deep, pervasive elation that stole his heart away. The tears staining Atem’s cheeks were first caught in Yugi’s eyes, then by his shirt.

The ardent embrace nearly knocked him over, Atem’s hands clutching at his back as if to reassure himself that he was really here. Warmth spread, dancing along Yugi’s skin as it spread out to his fingers and toes. The warmth further enveloped every inch of him just as the man’s cloak had. He melted, his own arms reaching out to encircle the man. As Atem shook in his arms, tears falling freely to run down his neck and shoulder, the lump in Yugi’s throat made him choke.

This Atem was so different. He was tormented, torn. Unraveling beneath his touch. Yugi blinked back his own tears. This Atem’s pain was too much. He tightened his grip, his own breath hitching as Atem’s labored against his chest.

“ _Aibou_.” The fond mutter against his shirt was muffled but nonetheless sliced through him, deepening a wound that he had never had but felt all the same.

He had to have known him… his Yugi. This morose ebullience that was being absorbed by his heart and his shirt spoke so much to this. What had happened? Why was he being greeted like this? Like someone precious who had died and returned by some miracle? Like a soul once lost having been found?

Hesitation paralyzed Yugi’s tongue, the words he needed to say hanging heavy on his heart and mind. He knew what he needed to do, but in the process, the elation of the king was about to die by his own hand. He did not want this, not in the slightest, but it was what was right. What needed to be done.

“I’m not him.” Yugi whispered. “Atem, I’m not him.”

He let his arms fall and the hands pressed into his back and the base of his skull lightened in their touch. Atem’s breathing stopped as did time. He did not stiffen. He did not move.

“I know… but for a moment, can we pretend you are?”

The tears brimming his own eyes overflowed at the soft, aching request. A rogue sob broke as arms tightened around bodies once again. Neither knew where one’s sobs ended and the other’s began. Eventually their tears settled and did their need for proximity, and Atem was the first to pull away. What remained of the kohl around his eyes were mere smudges, warpaint from a battlefield of emotions of which he had been thrust through. But despite the imperfections, those eyes were still perfect. At least they were to him. Crimson cleared and now regarded him with a curious compassion, as if Yugi had been the one hurt in this exchange. A bubble of laughter broke through the end of his dry sobs. Even here, he seemed to be more concerned with how he was feeling than his own emotions.

“Thank you for indulging me. It’s just you have the face of someone very special to me. A face that I feared I would never see again. I hope I did not cause you too much undue distress.” Atem’s voice had slipped into a tone Yugi knew well. In his dimension, he had called it Atem’s ‘business mode’, an overly polite and even tone that he used whenever he felt embarrassed or felt like he had been overly emotional. His Atem liked to seem confident and in control, but from the glimpses he had seen, Yugi knew that he was not always that calm beneath the surface. In a way, he wished that his Atem would pull back that curtain more and let him in.

“It’s alright. If I had known, I would have warned you sooner.”

Before Yugi could ask one of the thousand questions that sprung to the forefront of his mind, a voice rang through the hall.

“Atem? I know you said you wanted to be left alone for a while, but its nearly time to eat and I heard crying and — oh!” A teenaged girl with sandy brown hair and bronze skin rounded the corner. Bounding from the doorway, she skidded to a stop with a smile. “Atem, is that who I think it is?!”

Atem quickly swiped at his face with his palms before turning towards the speaker. “Mana, hello. This is, uh, —”

“Yugi! This is Yugi, right? He looks exactly like how you described!” She bubbled as she crossed the floor. Her wide smile vanishing quickly as she neared close enough to see the two men clearly. “Atem, were you —”

“Not another word.” Atem closed his eyes, turning incrementally away.

“But you’re —”

“Mana, I may be your childhood friend, but I am still a pharaoh, and in this moment, I would like you to treat me as such.”

The words, although forward in their meaning and undeniable in their gravitas, were said so quietly and with an unspoken plea: do not make me hurt more than I already do.

Mana stilled. “Ok.”

Atem’s eyes flicked open. He addressed Mana but his gaze remained on his partner’s alternate. “Mana, this is Yugi, but not the Yugi I know.”

“I-I don’t understand.”

“I do not either.” The rich voice of the pharaoh assured the young woman. “I was just about to invite him in to discuss this further. That is, if he’s game.”

A small smile tugged at Yugi’s lips. Although this Atem had every right to be suspicious, scared or threatened, his gentle and sincere offer pulled him in deep. It had only been minutes, but the bond he had forged with this Atem seemed to grip him unlike any of the others had before.

“I’d like that.”

Atem smirked in response. The gesture was playful, but his eyes still held a haunting melancholy that made him take pause. “Our nighttime feast is about to start. You should stay for a bit, have your fill, and we can discuss everything after.”

Yugi nodded in agreement.

* * *

The evening’s meal was downright delicious. Divine fire roasted meats and root vegetables filled the large gathering space with their succulent and inciting aromas. Wine and barley beer flavored with a hint of honey and spices warmed his gut but did not satiate. In fact, despite eating more than his fare share of the meal, he was neither hungry nor full. It was the strangest feeling.

The hall was filled with many people sitting shoulder to shoulder on cushions fashioned out of roughened textiles. Earthen tone blankets were laid in rows, their surfaces scattered with the remainder of their meals. Apparently this was not a ghost town of sorts after all.

Yugi finished the dregs of his beer, the pleasant buzz coursing through him and numbing the edges of his restless mind. No matter how hard he tried, he could not get this Atem’s eyes out of his mind. He had never seen anyone in such a state, but seeing someone with the face of someone you… Yugi bit his lip, a recurrent question constantly pushed aside made itself known once again.

What was Atem to him? Before this device had pulled him away from his home, the answer was simple. Or so he had thought. Nothing was really simple anymore. Especially when it came to his feelings for Atem. How did he even feel about Atem? Up until today, he thought he knew, but now he was not sure. Did he actually like him in that way, or was his heart just being swept away by the current of someone else’s strong emotions, causing him to feel things not of his own volition? After what he had experienced today, this was a very real possibility.

The way this Atem had looked at him, love and anguish entwined in a potent and heartbreaking cocktail was, in a way, intoxicating. The pain he himself had felt as the man with the face he knew sobbed freely into his shirt was real. It felt like his soul had been shattered, its pieces lost amongst the other man’s already strewn about his feet. He had had similar experiences of shared feelings with the other versions of Atem he had met along the way, but nothing had ever been like this.

Yugi stared into his cup with unseeing eyes, the pain in his chest making itself known once again. He was going to need more beer. Just as he reached for the jug, another hand found it instead.

“Care for a refill?”

Atem fell into a crouch before him, gathering Yugi’s cup and refilling it quietly. The man sitting next to Yugi turned to stare, wide eyed at the king crouching at eye level with a commoner. Yugi fought a smile at the peculiar scene. This sort of thing must not happen very often here. Or really, at all.

“Thank you, Ate- er, pharaoh.”

Atem smiled at the stumbled title. “Care to join me for a walk? I would like to have that talk.”

He would like nothing more. Yugi got to his feet and Atem rose after. A hand clasped his arm lightly, pulling him in the right direction.

“Follow me.”

He was lead out of the palace and into an inner garden. Flowers and foliage were dark in the dusk, but their beautiful aroma and gentle rustle announced their beauty. At first they walked in complete silence, both seemingly preoccupied with the sounds of the evening. Although, this was far from the case. The storm of questions and emotions brewed in Yugi’s mind, tenuously held at bay by the serenity of the evening and the silence of his companion. As much as his questions begged to be asked, he wanted Atem to have the first word.

The voices from the gathering faded as they continued their walk. Eventually, they reached a small pond at the periphery of the garden and Atem chose this spot to stop. He took off his shoes and sat at its edge, slowly lowering his feet into the still water with a small, content sigh.

“So Yugi, how did you get here?” Atem asked.

Yugi took off his own shoes and socks to follow Atem’s lead, dipping his toes into the cool pond. “It’s a long story, are you sure you have time? If you have somewhere you need to be…” Yugi tapped at his own forehead, drawing the pharaoh’s attention to the golden headpiece upon his own brow.

“Ah.” Atem reached up to remove his crown, setting it gently in the grass beside him. “I am one of the many royals here. The others can take care of things while we talk. I always have time for you. So, if you want to talk, I am here.”

The small, almost earnest smile on the pharaoh’s face soothed Yugi’s concerns. Although, he wondered if that smile was really for him or if it was for _his_ Yugi. What did his Yugi do to deserve such a smile? Either way, it still pulled him and a kindred expression pulled at his own lips.

He spoke and at the end of his tale, they fell into silence, Yugi’s fingers running the ridge of the band in contemplation. Atem had sat there the entire time, attention rapt but questions withheld. A couple moments after Yugi’s last word, Atem finally spoke.

“Now that is a very curious tale.” The perplexed tone did not escape Yugi.

“You can say that again.”

“And you think Kaiba has something to do with it?”

“I wonder. Although, its not all that clear why he’d do such a thing.”

Atem’s brow furrowed further as he stared out at the pond. “Why here?…”

“That’s a good question. Also, would you mind telling me where ‘here’ is?”

Atem looked at him, crimson pools darkening slightly. “Duat.”

“Duat?”

“The Egyptian afterlife.”

“The afterlife?”

Atem nodded once.

“Wait, so you’re…”

“Dead?”

Yugi blinked at the forward proclamation. “Yeah… dead.”

“I am.” Atem affirmed with a sad smile. “I had done what I was put on this Earth to do and I have been given my rest.”

 _What do you even say to that?_ “I’m happy for you…?”

Atem chuckled at the hesitant platitude. “It’s a good thing. Well, it’s supposed to be…”

“‘Supposed to be’?”

Atem’s eyes pulled away from his as the young man sat back on his hands to gaze at the night sky. “I needed to make a sacrifice in order to save the world. Little did I know that in this process, I’d lose more than just my life.”

Yugi listened in rapt fascination as Atem told his tale of Zorc, the great evil. Of Egyptian Gods and golden relics. Atem’s hand cupped the inverted pyramid hanging from his neck as he spoke.

“And after three thousand years, I was finally set free by, well, you.”

Yugi’s hands balled up in the grass next to him as his heart hammered out of his chest. Atem spoke of his Yugi, kind and shy, who despite how the world treated him, he still put himself on the line for those he loved. Atem’s face lit up as he recounted tales of their woes, highs and lows expressed with the same ardent admiration for his _aibou._

 _“_ Then came the event destiny had in store for us. You see, we had grown so much thanks to each other, but in the end, we were forced to prove that we had grown enough to stand on our own. We did, and in turn, I was granted my rest. But so far, it has been less restful than I thought it would be.”

Yugi hummed his understanding. It was all starting to make sense now. The bond between this Atem and Yugi had become evident from the very beginning of their story. The way Atem spoke about his Yugi, heart so filled with pride and wonder, he knew that the man must be struggling with their separation. After sharing a body for years, it would be hard enough being worlds apart from someone so dear to you. From what the pharaoh said, this bond seemed to also extend beyond what Atem had initially thought… and his thinly veiled heart break was quickly becoming too much for Yugi to bear.

“I saw him again recently.” Atem said quietly, letting his eyelids shut as he smiled a bittersweet smile. “He needed me, and it gave me the strength to go. But I could not sustain being there, not for very long. Afterwards, our Kaiba came here to settle a score… how he managed that I still have no clue.”

“He came here? To the after life?”

Atem nodded. “When I bested him, I told him that if he ever wanted to try again, he would need to bring… Yugi. When I saw you standing in the throne room today, for a brief moment, I thought it could be my _aibou._ But a part of me knew it could not be true. I apologize for how I —”

“Atem, do _not_ apologize.” The sternness behind Yugi’s voice seemed to startle them both, but Atem’s demeanour melted as his gaze slipped back onto Yugi. “You were hurting… are hurting. You miss him a lot, don’t you?”

“I do.”

“I’m sorry it had to be this way. Is there any chance that you could get back to him somehow?”

“If Kaiba could take me, I may. Otherwise, I’m still trying to figure out the best way… and if he even wants me back.”

Yugi was taken aback by this statement. “If he shared in even half of the care and concern you have for him, he would want you back in a heartbeat.”

Atem smiled morosely at the notion. “Maybe one day…”

They sat at the edge of the pond in silence for a few moments, both men lost in thought. The tale this Atem had told was beyond comprehension. Two souls intertwined yet kept worlds away by the hand of fate. Each proved they were strong enough to stand on their own, but yet, and emotional bond persisted that no one could have imagined. From the look his his eyes and the strain in his voice, Atem’s rest had become the just the opposite. His promised place of paradise became a relative torment.

“So, you mentioned you’ve met me too along the way…” Atem tried to divert the conversation to less emotional topics. Little did he know, he was pressing right at a soft spot in Yugi’s gut.

“I actually know you from my dimension. We’re, uh, roommates.”

“Roommates.” The pharaoh’s amusement was apparent. “Even in your dimension I guess we exist in close quarters.”

Yugi laughed. “Yeah, sometimes too close. I’m very lucky to have met my… you.”

“I’m sure he thinks the same of you as well. You remind me so much of my Yugi.”

The warm sentiment, said with so much love, left him smiling for an elated second, before Yugi was once again reminded of his harsh reality. “I guess we share one more thing in common… I often wonder if I will see him again, too.”

Atem’s eyes flitted to the device at Yugi’s wrist, before traveling back to meet his gaze. A hand reached out to his shoulder to give it a gentle squeeze. “You will. I know it.”

“How can you be so certain? How can you have so much faith in me?”

Atem’s soft smile shook him to his core. “I said you remind me of my Yugi and I meant it. You’re strong and courageous. You will find a way.”

The lump formed in Yugi’s throat again. Those words, sure in their conviction, was the exact push he needed. “If I can, so can you.”

Atem chuckled in response, his hand giving one last squeeze before it fell away. “You always did have so much faith in me. I will try for as long as you do.”

Yugi grinned up at the king. He may be royalty here, but Yugi could sense his true kingdom was elsewhere. He knew he would get there some day. “Deal.”

A soft blue glow shone from Yugi’s wrist. Even though his heart torted at the thought of leaving this Atem, for once, Yugi did not fight it. He had learned so much, but he still had more questions needed to be answered. After alerting Pharaoh Atem to the situation, the two men fell again into an embrace. As they pulled apart and Atem disengaged, he said one final thing.

“I know you’ll reach him again.”

“I know you will too.”

**Snap.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [My Tumblr.](https://atems-leather-pants.tumblr.com)


	11. Liquid courage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You do not like rum?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 10: Pirate AU
> 
> Ok, so I'm going to let you guys off a bit easier this time after my last, very emotional chapter (let the record show I did preemptively apologize!). 
> 
> _Easier_ , not easy. Heh.

**Snap.**

The gentle evening breeze through the sands of Egypt was quickly replaced by a night wind most foul. Before his eyes sprawled a sea gate of the likes he had never seen before.

Domino City was a port town, so Yugi was fairly familiar with dockyards and the sea. Had spent many a summer’s day at the beach just outside of the city limits and was well acquainted with its tides. However, this was the strangest dock he had ever set eyes on. A massive vessel fashioned out of treated wood towered before him, its mast ramrod and flag flying free. He scanned down the docks, eyes glazing over smaller but equally as impressive vessels. It was like he had been transported back in time… to a time with a distinct lack of hygiene.

Yugi made a face as he stared at the ground. His still dripping bare feet rested atop a layer of grime that he really did not want to know the composition of. He leaned back on the barrel he was sitting on, pulling his feet off the ground and away from the offending substances. Nestling the clay cup he had carried with him from the afterlife between his knees, he fished out the socks and runners he had thankfully stashed in his backpack before he had shifted and put them on. His task done, he gathered the clay cup and tucked it safely inside his pack. Once he was sure it was secured safely, he got to his feet and tossed his backpack over his shoulder.

People milled about, dressed in roughened and ruffled shirts with scuffed leather boots, filling the street in front of him with chatter. To his surprise, he caught glimpses of several swords sheathed at the waists of the passersby. A long jacket billowed behind a scraggly bearded man as he passed by, his body odor mingling with the permeating smell of day old fish that clung to the air and buffeted Yugi’s nose. He blinked slightly at the assault on the senses. The sea, the swords the smells…

The loud crash of a bottle from behind him startled him into awareness. The harsh sound was followed by a mirthless chuckle.

“Aye, a runt like you should not be alone here at night. Prime pickings for rough folk.”

Yugi turned quickly to find the source of the voice and realized that it had come from a man standing right behind him. The man’s greasy blond hair was pulled back in a stained bandana. His dark pants were tattered, his black vest hung limply from his shoulders. A wicked smile sat beneath beady eyes.

“Uh, yeah. You’re right. I was just about to leave.” Yugi reassured. He shot the man his best smile despite his teeth being on edge.

“Not so fast. There’s something I need from you first.”

Yugi could feel his heart start to to hammer. There was no way this could be good, not with that smile.

“Ah, I have to go.” Yugi said, abruptly standing up from the barrel and turned on his heel. He felt a hand swipe at his back, just grazing the fabric of his button down. He suppressed a yelp as he tore off.

“Get back here you little shit!” Yugi heard the growl and the foot steps behind him. He most certainly did not.

The crude yells and sounds of boots in hot pursuit continued as he ran. He did not stop despite his lungs burning. No matter how hard he tried to shake him off his tail, the bandanna’d bandit would not let him go. Yugi ducked into an dirt alley way, sneakers slapping sloppily in puddles as he kept his pace.

“You are dead, you little ass hat!”

Yugi spied an open doorway of a building at the end of the alleyway, a flickering incandescent glow spilling from it to coat the cobbled street in front. In a split second, he decided to take the risk. Maybe the would-be mugger would not follow him inside. The doorway filled his vision now. Here goes nothing.

Yugi nearly collided with the torch on the wall just beyond the doorway, runners skidding as he tried to make the tight turn to the left. He tore down the solitary set of stairs and burst into a room filled with merry, not stopping his pace until he was plastered against the side of bar.

It was a bar of the likes he had never seen before. Sure, there was the standard wooden bar with tables and chairs scattered across the floor, but the people packing it were something else. A bald man snapped his head towards Yugi, a scar cutting an irregular contour across his rotund cheek. Another man from across the bar looked up from his beer to shoot Yugi a toothless smile. Well, almost toothless. He had one nearly rotten tooth still rooted in his lower gum. Several other patrons looked up to him, some curious, others not too kindly. He looked away, collapsing further onto the bar to catch his breath, face pale and sweaty,

The sound of boots slapping the stairs could be heard over the murmurs of the crowd, their rapid approach bringing a sense of foreboding that permeated right into Yugi’s bones. Just as a man entered the room, Yugi moved down to the end of the bar to press himself up against the wall behind a particularly stocky man with biceps as big as his head.

The bandana clad man stormed into the room, beady eyes ablaze with a murderous desire. “Now where did that fucking half-pint go?” He raged.

A man held out his half drunk pint of beer in jest with a snicker, causing the bar to descend into guffaws. The man in the doorway turned a deep shade of scarlet and pulled a knife from his belt. With lightning speed, the man reached out to grab the nearest patron, an older man with a face as wrinkled as ancient parchment and tucked the knife under his chin.

“You will tell me where the hell that little shit is…” every word from the man’s mouth was spat with such vehemence that the entire room quieted, wary eyes becoming fixated on the rogue with a knife. A faint trickle of blood ran down the captive’s neck.

The bar-goers fell quiet, no one daring to make a move for fear it was the wrong one. Yugi swallowed thickly. He did not want to see anyone get hurt. If there was any chance that by stepping out of the shadows the captured could be released safely, he was going to do it. It was only right.

“I’m over here.” Yugi called, stepping out from behind the mountain of muscle and into the bandit’s line of sight.

With a snicker, the bandit pushed the elderly gentleman away roughly and took a couple steps in Yugi’s direction.

“You owe me big time for all that runnin’, boy.” The man sneered. “Now you’re gonna come with me if you know what’s good for you.”

Dread tightened its clutches. He knew this was a bad idea, but he had no choice. He needed to figure out something quick before his throat was slit open by that rust spotted, yet very sharp knife. His eyes darted around the room, searching for something of use. _Come on Yugi. You’ve lived through dragons and a dystopian world. You can figure this out. Come on…_

Yugi took several steps towards the man, hands held up to signal his surrender. The quiet footfalls of his sneakers were the only thing audible in the room.

WHACK.

A cry rang out as wood splintered. The bandit doubled over as a blonde in a tattered striped shirt holding a broken wooden board appeared from behind him, a grin splitting his face. Yugi could not believe his eyes.

_Joey?_

“Alright ‘Tem, your turn!”

A man with tricoloured hair strode out into the center of the aisle, his smirk catching in profile. He wore a tattered slate grey jacket with brass buttons running along its front. It was at least two sizes too big for him, and its sleeves rolled up twice to fit his small frame. His black breeches were tucked into dark leather boots that hit him mid calf. His cream textile shirt was half tucked and a small short sword dangled from its sheath on his belt. He held a thick amber glass bottle lazily in one hand, and after taking one large swig, he aimed his ruby gaze onto the man.

“Want to play a game?”

The bandit blinked dazedly at the challenger, brandishing his knife in front of him. “Get out of my way or else yer dead too.”

“S’Not before you… indulge me. See this bottle?” Atem shook the item in question, the silver bangles at his wrists chiming with the taunt. “If you can get it away from me wit’in a minute, you can have ‘em. If I win, you must leave us all alone.”

The bandit’s discombobulation was starting to fade as the man’s rage returned with renewed vigor. His brow quirked in Atem’s direction. “And what makes you think you can win this game, you foolish little man?”

“S’would you like to play or not?” Atem challenged nonchalantly, his words running together. His somewhat unsteady stroll towards the bandit could only be described as a sashay. He held out the bottle.

Without another word, the bandit made a move. The bottle was quickly retracted, Atem sidestepping to avoid a collision.

“Oh come on, you’ve gotta do better ‘an that.” Atem chided lightly, waving the bottle again. “Try again. Fiffy more seconds.”

A strange dance unfurled in front of Yugi’s eyes. His would-be mugger continued to make telegraphed lunges for Atem’s bottle only to be deftly denied by a dip or a duck. The smaller man, despite being clearly drunk, moved as fluidly as a jungle cat in execution of his game. With each failed attempt, the bandit’s face reddened a shade.

“You little…” He muttered as his most recent grab failed and he nearly toppled onto the floor. He lunged for Atem this time with the knife outstretched and aimed directly for Atem’s chest. Atem adjusted, swinging upwards with the bottle. It collided with the bandit’s wrist, causing him to cry out and drop the knife.

“Oh c’mon, you are not even giving me a challenge.” Atem barked out a laugh. “Ten seconds.”

A flurry of movement ensued as a the man tried a couple last desperate grasps for the bottle. Atem leapt up onto a table with a final flourish to avoid the snatching hands. Atem’s jubilant laughter rang out through the bar.

 _He’s having too much fun with this._ Yugi chuckled to himself as he took in the end of the spectacle.

“Three, two, one… its’up!” Atem announced from his perch. “You lost. Leave.”

“No way! He owes me everything he’s got for the trouble!” The bandit bellowed, spinning his head towards Yugi.

“He owes you nothing and you know it.” Atem shook his head. “Leave, now.”

“Who died and made you king?”

Atem’s brow twitched. “You leave me no choice.”

“What are you gonna do? Dance for me —”

Atem leapt from the tabletop to smash the bottle square atop the bandit’s head, causing his jeer to morph into a pained cry. The man fell to the floor in a heap as a slew of riotous applause broke out. Atem smirked down at the groaning form of the bandit and gave him a little nudge with his boot before crossing over to the bar. He approached the moustached bartender, and with a wink, reached behind the bar to grab another bottle.

Joey jogged over and pulled the shorter man into a friendly headlock. “Ay, ya got another one!”

“It was almost too easy this time. I need more to drink, makes it a real challenge.” Atem snickered as he extricated himself from the hold and took a swig from the fresh bottle.

“‘Ere, ya may want this back.” Joey pulled a tattered tripointed hat out from behind his back.

“You know I hate that thing…” Atem grumbled but put the hat on anyways. His hair almost all fit in it. Almost.

“Yeah, well the king needs his crown!” Joey tapped on the front corner, causing the hat to fall further forward onto Atem’s brow. “Isn’t that right, fellas?”

An uncoordinated yet deafening cheer erupted from the bar goers. Atem shook his head with a small smile.

“Ah Joey, did you ever see where that guy went?”

“You mean the guy bandit Kieth was after? He’s still gotta be around here somewhere… Oh hey!”

Joey’s loud voice carried across the room to where Yugi stood staring. Even though it had been the blond that called out to him, his eyes instinctively went to Atem.

Looking at the roughened and grubby version of the man he had been strangely getting to know throughout his entire journey, his usual joy or apprehension was replaced by a strange moroseness. The last time he had seen that face, it had been filled with so much pain and other many difficult emotions. That was a hard mental image to forget. There was none of that sadness here in this Atem’s face, but Yugi’s heart still ached for the Atem that was stuck a dimension away from where he truly wanted to be.

Yugi watched Atem lean in to say something quietly to Joey, who responded with a swift bark of laughter and a rough slap against the shorter man’s back. Atem careened forward briefly, turning back to say something to Joey when he had finally regained his footing.

“Aye, captain!” Joey tossed him a salute.

Atem’s steps, although still uncoordinated, were a lot more steady as he approached Yugi. His smirk was confident, head held high. He felt a heat form in his ears as he saw the look in Atem’s eye. He fought the urge to run a hand through his hair or adjust his shirt sleeves.

A couple steps away from Yugi, the air seemed to fall out of Atem’s sails. The toe of his boot caught the uneven wooden floor, causing him to take a stutter step. A look of pure terror flashed across those crimson irises before fading to an almost embarrassed glance. He stopped and opened his mouth to let out a wooden “Hi.”

“Hello…?” Yugi responded, trying to bite back the giggle that rumbled silently in his chest.

Despite his embarrassment, Atem persevered on and offered his hand. “Uhhh, Atem Sennen.”

“Yugi Muto.”

“I, uh, wanted t’see if you are good… alright.” Despite his smirk and his somewhat slurred speech, the small stumble and strain in his voice hinted at nerves heightened below that confident demeanour.

“I’m good. Thanks for helping me back there.” Yugi smiled genuinely.

It was adorable. His Atem could get a bit flustered and it seemed like this Atem was no different. He found it endearing to see the man who had just so confidently dismantled that criminal stumble over his words. The flush threatened to extend beyond his ears. He took in a deep breath so hopefully he would not stumble himself.

“Can I, ah, get you a drink to thank you?”

He then promptly noticed the nearly full bottle in Atem’s hand and his own stumble started. “Unless you’ve already got… ah, a drink.”

A roguish, knowing smile pulled at Atem’s lips. “I do have one, but you could still join me, if you like?”

The bottle was proffered smoothly, not a drop spilled this time. Yugi did not hesitate to accept, taking in a large gulp of the rum. He winced as it seared all the way down. He heard a low rumble come from Atem.

“You do not like rum?”

Yugi waved him off dismissively as he took another mouthful. The rumble grew into a full blown laugh as an arm came to encircle Yugi’s shoulders roughly. The caustic liquid in his stomach did nothing to quell the butterflies that had started to dance at the touch.

As Atem lead him back towards the bar where Joey sat waiting, Yugi took a moment to interrogate those butterflies. Meeting pharaoh Atem brought up a strange set of emotions and accompanying questions that he could not push aside. Was this real? Well, the places he was visiting sure seemed to be, but where _his_ feelings real?

The hand on his shoulder slipped down his arm to encircle his wrist, pulling him forward through the mass of patrons. The fingers were calloused, yet warm and comforting. Yugi found himself idly wishing Atem had grabbed his hand instead.

This was all too confusing.

“Oh hey ya two! Pull up a seat!” Joey grinned at the two tricloloured haired men. “Whose dis guy, ‘Tem?”

“This is Yugi. He doesn’t like rum.” Atem informed his friend as he got onto a stool.

Yugi let out an exacerbated puff of air as he sat down on the empty stool between the two men. “I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

In a brave show, Yugi grabbed the bottle out of Atem’s hand and took his third gulp. He promptly choked.

“It just burns a little, alright?” Yugi explained, but the two ruffians could not stop their laughter.

Eventually they both caught their breath, and the onslaught of expected questions began. The first one came from Atem himself. “S’tell me… what did you do to get Bandit Keith on you like that?”

Yugi shrugged. “I didn’t let him mug me, I guess.”

Joey laughed boisterously at the response, but Atem’s chuckle seemed rather humourless.

“That would do it! A thug like that probably hates it when he gets shown up.” Joey gestured wildly with his beer bottle.

“I’m sure.” Yugi agreed.

“So, what brings ya here?” Joey punched at his shoulder, a physical punctuation of his question. “Ya must be new to here, huh? I feel like I’d have remembered hair like yours if I saw it, with it being being all like ‘Tem’s and all.”

Yugi scratched at the back of his head with a lopsided smile. “Ah, I’m just traveling through.”

“Well, you sure picked the right port! This is home base of the greatest captain to sail the high seas!”

Yugi heard a grumble from his other side. “Joey, how many times —”

“Captain Atem Sennen!” Joey crowed loudly enough for most of the bar to hear. “Captain of the Pride of the Kuribandit! The most feared vessel from here to the Arabian Sea!”

“The Pride of Kuribandit?”

Atem seemed to shake his head slightly at the mention of his vessel, but Joey’s enthusiasm continued to build steam. “Yes! She’s a real beaut, ya’ve gotta see her sometime, Yuge. She goes like a dream too! Ya couldn’t ask for a better ship!”

“Please don’t bore him with this, Joey…” Atem chided mildly, his sentence punctuated with a hiccup.

“You’re not boring me at all! I’d love to hear more about your ship.” Yugi reassured Atem with a smile. He watched on with immense satisfaction as Atem’s eyes lit up at the open invitation.

They sat at the bar for the next few hours chatting and drinking about the Pride of Kuribandit and its escapades. From the wild stories that the two men told, the ship was run by a two dozen member crew, sailing the seven seas in search of treasure and wealth. They often seemed to find trouble instead. Other pirate ships had attacked them, threatening to take over, but were thwarted by Joey’s swashbuckling skills. Well, according to Joey… the stories the two men seemed to spin were not all that linear. Yugi did not find himself caring, though. He sat there nursing his drink in an effervescent drunken state, soaking in all of the glory and thrill that the two men had to offer. For the first time in long time, Yugi found himself forgetting about the device, his fears and his heartbreak and just lost himself in the moment.

“‘Pirate is a strong term, Joey.” Atem said with an exaggerated shake of his head.

“But that’s what we are, though!”

Atem’s cheeks were slightly flushed in the low flickering torchlight of the bar, from the alcohol or embarrassment, Yugi did not know. “I’ve been saying that we shoul’be trying to turn an honest profit for sometime now…”

“And how’re we gonna do that, Atem? Join the trading companies? You know they’re just as underhanded as us pirates, jus’ less out in the open about their doings than we are!”

Atem seemed displeased at the answer, the sour look on his face was telling. This was clearly a sore spot for him. As Joey and Atem continued to bicker, Yugi idly wondered if his Atem’s moral compass would agree with becoming a pirate. They had never really talked about these sorts of things, but he seemed pretty solid in his principles.

“Ay, I think we’ve sat around this dive long enough, why don’t we show our new friend Yuge here the beauty?” Joey suggested, pounding back the rest of his beer.

“Uh, yeah. If you’d like to see the Kuri, we’d be glad to show you.” Despite the obscene amount of alcohol that was flooding through the man’s system, Atem’s offer sounded oddly sober.

“Of course! I’d like that.” Yugi agreed readily.

The three men rustled up their belongings and squared their tabs. Yugi could not help but grin again at how this night’s events turned out. Despite his rough start, he had ended up having the best night in recent memory. No heart break, no pain. Just drinks with two pirates who had some amazing stories to tell. One of which was very easy on the eyes.

Yugi turned to look at Atem, who was instructing Joey somewhat unsuccessfully on some sort of ship matter that he did not have the foggiest understanding of. Despite his awkwardness, Atem’s confidence served him well as a leader and served him well in other areas. The way he held himself, his smirk… that damn smirk. Maybe it was the alcohol or the fact that Atem had helped bail him out of a tight spot once again, but that smirk was all he could see.

Maybe he should have cut himself off earlier. This was going to get distracting.

Yugi found himself following that smirk and it’s companion up the stairs and into the cool night air. It must be past midnight, as all of the people who were once milling about seemed to have retired for the night. The three men turned to their right, head down the cobbled street in what Yugi assumed must be the way towards the docks.

He watched on in quiet content as Atem and Joey staggered beside him, the alcohol loosening their tongues as much as their steps. They eventually reached the docks, and after a few wrong turns, eventually found the Pride of Kuribandit. The ship was just as beautiful as the two pirates had described.

She was by no means the largest ship in the ship yard, but her blackened wood and barnacle lined hull leant her that authentic nautical air of the pirate ships Yugi had heard described in history books and seen in movies. Yugi spied the ornate carved railings and three large wooden masts, towering several stories above her main deck, white sails retracted and bound. The Pride of Kuribandit was magnificent.

Atem and Joey continued to bicker and banter about some of their crew and what their next job should be as they prepared to board. Just as Yugi was about to board, the night air seemed to shift, becoming a few degrees cooler and a lot heavier. His skin crawled. A pebble skittered across the wooden dock.

“Uh, guys…” Yugi did not get his warning out quite in time. Three men stepped out from around a shed and onto the dock, their faces illuminated only by the flames they carried.

A familiar man clad in a bandana stood only meters away, his sneer dark and dangerous. He was flanked by two other unsavory men, one of which looked almost sickly, skin loosely clinging to his bones. All three men held bottles with rags shoved in their necks, small flames burning at their tips.

“You thought you could get away that easily. That you could just _humilliate me_ and leave in the dead of night? Well, you are dead wrong.” Bandit Keith growled.

“Now, now. Hold up there. Can we please just talk it out? My friends and I are tired and I thin’ one ass whoopin’ is enough for one night, don’t ya?” Joey called out from behind him.

“Are you tryin’ to joke with —”

The bandit’s retort was cut short as Atem unsheathed his sword and closed the gap. Despite his height disadvantage, Atem managed to pressed his blade up against the base of the man’s neck. Using the man’s shock to his advantage, the captain pushed Keith backwards against the wall of the shed behind him with a snarl. Fast as lightning, Keith’s henchmen pulled out their own swords and trained them at Atem in retaliation.

“Ahh hell, Atem! What ‘re ya… oh fine. We’re doing it this way…” Joey’s yell faded to a grumble as he unsheathed his own blade and ran towards where his captain was locked in a dangerous tableau. He pulled up behind one of the henchmen and pressed the point of his sword between the man’s shoulder blades to announce his arrival.

“Don’t you dare for a second think that we’re joking.” Atem said darkly, his pressure on the blade increasing. “You should really think twice about who you are threatening.”

Keith chuckled slyly, his eyes flitting to the side.

More pressure. A trickle of blood ran down the base of Keith’s neck to stain his collar. “Look at me when I speak to you. Now I will give you a choice. Either you and your crew back off and we all leave with our heads, or I will call out to my crew and we will let our metal do the talking.”

Yugi watched unblinkingly at the pirate captain. The ruthlessness he demonstrated definitely befitted him of the title.

The men were silent for a moment, eyes locked in a silent duel. From his vantage point down the dock, Yugi could only see one side of the battle: Keith’s. Those beady eyes remained hardened, until surprisingly, they seemed to waver. To doubt. Fear spread into them. Whatever Atem was doing was working…

“Let me go.” Keith finally growled.

“Yugi, a hand please?” Atem called evenly, not moving a muscle. “The bottles and swords, if you would.”

Yugi obliged, quickly disarming the three bandits and collecting the their makeshift incendiary devices. He quickly pulled the rags out from the bottles and tossed them into the sea.

Only then did Atem relax. He pushed off from the bandit, pointing his sword right at the man’s chest.

“Go now if you know what’s good for you.”

Keith spat in his direction, nearly missing Atem’s boot. Despite this, he made a motion to his two cronies and moved to leave without further incident.

Yugi watched Atem stand there silently, muscles remaining tense and sword at the ready. He was like this for at least a minute, despite the threat having already retreated. Finally, the man relaxed and lowered his blade.

“Well, that was close.” Atem sighed, adjusting his hat that had become slightly askew in the tussle. He turned with a small smile in search of his companions. The look of relief quickly faded from his face.

“Yugi, you’re glowing!”

He was. Or rather, the device was glowing. Yugi cursed aloud.

“Ah, I have to go.” Yugi murmured.

“Go where? But we’re just about to show you the ship!” Joey protested.

“Believe me, I don’t want to go, but I don’t have a say in the matter.” Yugi said as the world started to shift off it’s axis again. “Hey Atem?”

“What is it?”

“Thanks for saving back there. And thanks for that drink.”

Despite his growing confusion, Atem smiled. “Anytime.”

The blue light overwhelmed Yugi.

**Snap.**


	12. Febrile

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How are you feeling now?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 11: Farm/Ranch AU
> 
> I had a plan for this chapter, a plot line I wanted to explore. But a line I wrote early on made this chapter veer, and a one off descriptor later on made this chapter go the the way of the wild, wild west. Who am I to stop it from riding off into the sunset? And plus, I think its a little more fun this way heh. Hold on to your hats!

**Snap.**

The nearly oppressive smell of half-rotten fish was replaced by another smell almost equally as offensive. Unfortunately, the nausea that came with dimensional shifting had decided to rear its head once again. That in combination with the copious amounts of alcohol that he had just consumed and the pounding headache he had became a perfect storm for disaster.

Yugi slapped a hand across his mouth as he gagged. He ran towards the wooden slatted wall and emptied the contents of his stomach, which arguably was not very much. The heaves eventually settled, leaving him feeling weak and a little unsteady on his feet. As he swiped the back of his hand across his mouth, he looked up to finally take stock of where he was.

He was in a stall of sorts lined with hay and a decent layer of droppings. A spade rested up against the wall next to the barred gate which had been tossed wide open. The gentle sounds of whinnies and bays in the distance provided ambiance and allowed him to put the pieces together.

“Oh Atem, are you alright?”

A chestnut haired woman dressed in blue jeans, red checked flannel and a puffy down vest poked her head around the corner and into the stall. When each caught the other’s gaze, they both blinked in surprise. Now this was a face that Yugi had not expected to see.

It was Mana, Atem’s cousin. He had met her once or twice since becoming Atem’s roommate, but since she went to a different university, their paths rarely cross. It was a shame, though, as she was super sweet and seemed to bring out a very carefree side to his roommate that he rarely saw. Right now, there was none of that infectious effervescent energy she seemed to carry with her in his dimension. She looked distraught and concerned.

“Y-You’re not Atem. I mean, you kind of look like him, but you’re not him.”

“Ah, no, I’m not. I’m Yugi.”

“Oh, that must make you the new stableboy. I heard Mai had hired one recently.” Her brow was knitted with worry as she reached out to place the back of her hand on his forehead. “I heard you puking your guts out… you look downright pale! And you’re burning up… you’re in no shape to work!”

“About that… I’m not actually —”

Mana cut him off with a scowl that looked almost like her cousin’s. “Don’t you dare try to say you’re fine!”

Yugi opened his mouth to explain everything and that his illness should pass quickly, but he was hushed again before he could even start.

“No, don’t you even _think_ about saying otherwise! Here, let me bring you to the house. You can lay down and have a rest.”

Yugi felt a hand slip into his, pulling him out of the pile of droppings and into the aisle. After a few steps, his hand was released and was prompted with a wave to follow. They walked out of the barn and into the bright sunlight. The throbbing behind his eyes became splitting. Wincing, he fought another wave of nausea. The light was too much.

Mana must have heard his steps slow, and from her tone he could tell that her concern had at least tripled. “Oh no, the sunlight! I’m sorry! It’s only a short distance then we will be back inside.”

Yugi hummed, purposefully keeping his eyes trained on the grass at his feet. The air was cool, the grass dry and fading. It felt like fall, and unfortunately, he was very much under dressed. The breeze cut right through his button down, and he wished he had snagged a nice warm jacket from a past dimension. The tunic in his bag was not much better, nor was his original river water stained t-shirt and jeans. He had only snagged a rustic looking bottle cap from the last one.

After a couple of minutes navigating the sloping hill, his companion announced their arrival at the farm house. He raised his eyes to take in the idyllic home. Bearing two stories with a sprawling footprint, it was much larger than the game shop he grew up in. Out front was a sprawling front porch dotted with rustic wooden chairs. White wood paneling allowed the forest green door to pop. It was somehow quaint despite its size. Mana opened the front door and Yugi followed her lead as she kicked off her muddy boots on the mat by the doorway.

“Follow me. You can take a nap in one of the guest rooms and take it easy for the day. Don’t worry, I will cover with Mai!” She said with a wink.

Before they reached the stairs, however, the two were stopped by a voice calling out from beyond the small living room just off the front entrance.

“Mana, is that you? There’s no way you’re already done your tasks, its only 8 AM…” The voice neared.

“Well… no. But the new stableboy’s sick so I’m going to lend him one of the spare rooms so he can sleep it off.”

“What are you talking about? I didn’t hire a stableboy yet.”

Mai appeared at the other end of the living room. Her eyes went from curious to hard the second she saw Yugi standing in his grubby clothes in her living room. “Who the hell are you?”

Yugi swallowed down the bitter, acrid taste in his mouth that was only partially due to vomit. “My name is Yugi, and its a very long story. I tried to tell —”

“W-why didn’t you tell me you were not a stableboy?” Mana stammered, her kind features clouded with an almost heart wrenching betrayal and peppered with fear. “What do you want from us? Do you want to rob us?”

“I tried to explain it back at the barn, but you cut me off.” Yugi fought the urge to rub his temples. Weariness seeped into every muscle as the promise of a soft bed faded right before his eyes. From the look in Mai’s eyes, he knew he was about to get kicked out. “I don’t want to rob you. I don’t know where I am. I’m not from here.”

“We can tell that, honey. No one wears clothing like that on a farm.” Mai scolded, her hands coming to rest on her hips. “You had better explain all of this quickly before I get my shotgun.”

“Mai…” Mana protested weakly despite her fear. “He looks too sick to rob us. Plus he’s so little…”

Yugi could not help the small wave of irritation that flared at the connotation. Sure he was small, but he hated it when people used his size as a way to discount or undermine him. “Hey!”

“Well, you are! _I’m_ even taller than you!”

“Not by much.” Yugi muttered mostly to himself before standing as tall as his pounding head would allow him. “Ok, I will explain it all, but you’re not going to believe this…”

He told his tale. They definitely did not believe him.

“So you expect me to accept that you are from some other world and have been randomly zapped onto our farm for no good reason. And that you will leave at some random time and go somewhere else?” Mai scrutinized Yugi.

“Yeah.”

“And that you’ve seen dragons and superheroes and they actually exist?” Mana, on the other hand, seemed positively awestruck.

“In some worlds, yes.” Yugi’s tiredness and pain clipped his words, making them harsher than he intended.

“Do you know how insane you sound? None of this can be possible.” Mai’s words dripped with skepticism.

“Yeah, and I… ah, what’s the point in arguing.” Yugi did not have much fight left in him. He stifled a yawn, his whole body crying out for some sort of reprieve. He felt like he had not slept in days. Maybe it _had_ been days? The last time he could recall having slept was in that post apocalyptic Domino City, but that was a long time ago. This realization only seemed to further amplify the nausea and headache that continued to obnoxiously make their presence known.

He turned towards the front door. “I’m sorry to have bothered you. I’m going to go.”

“Wait!” Mana grabbed the handle of his backpack, pulling him back. “Mai, just look at him. He’s sick. We may not understand what he’s saying, but I don’t think we should just let him leave! He wouldn’t make it ten feet off the property!”

The fingers of Mai’s hand drummed against her hip briefly. They increased their pace until she finally sighed. “Fine. Insane or not, I don’t want his death on my hands unless I’m the one to choose it myself. And he does really look like shit.”

Yugi turned around and let his shoulders slouch as relief washed over him. “Thank you so much.”

“Just don’t make me regret this, hun.”

“You won’t.” He reassured.

Mana shot him a cheery smile and tugged at his bag to lead him in the right direction. She let him loose and they ascended the stars towards the bedrooms. They stopped in front of the second door on the left. Inside was a bed with a patterned quilt, a small dresser made of stained wood sat in the corner, its handles intricately carved and its design antique. The decor was very much a country house meets grandmas house kind of bliss.

“The washroom is just the next door down the hall if you want to get washed up. I’m going to grab you some water and something to help settle you, ok? Just holler if you need anything.”

Yugi thanked her and went to the washroom before he even gave the bed a second look. He peeled off his clothing and staggered into the shower. Twisting the lever nearly all the way up, he ran the water as hot as he could tolerate, scrubbing away at the grime and dirt that had followed him across dimensions for much too long. Once he was sure he had gotten every inch of his body clean, he shut of the water, wrapped himself in a fluffy towel from the small cabinet next to the sink and went back to the guest room.

Mana had provided and then some. A tall glass of water and a couple bottles of pills sat on the nightstand. He recognized one as a painkiller and the other was something to help with a sick stomach. Laying on top of the quilt were two sets of clothes. In the first pile was a worn black T-shirt emblazoned with ‘Save a Horse’ in faded lettering paired with a blue checked pair of pyjama pants. In the other pile was a white T-shirt, a thick tartan-style black and white flannel, and a pair of faded blue jeans. Yugi set the second set of clothes aside on the dresser and changed into the pyjamas. The pull of the bed was resisted just long enough to take a couple of the painkillers and half of the glass of water. Despite the hot shower, he was still feeling cold nearly to the point of shivering, so he pulled the extra blanket up from the foot of the bed and crawled underneath the covers and was out like a light before he could even realize it.

* * *

Yugi dozed off and on in his soft nest of linens. Even though he was exhausted, his brain remained restless. A couple hours into his nap, he heard a soft knock on the door.

“Mmmm yeah, come on in.” Yugi mumbled sleepily as he lifted his head from the pillow. In the doorway stood someone that woke him up almost instantly.

“Hi. My name is Atem. Mana told me about your… predicament, and wanted me to bring you soup while she completes her chores.” The explanation was a little stiff as was his posture, but his clothing appeared anything but uptight.

His worn blue jeans had been softened by many hard days of work and were a little dirty at the knees. There were two hand shaped smudges down the front of his heather grey t-shirt, which fit tight against his muscular frame and arms. Where the short sleeves rode up slightly, Yugi could see a sharp demarcation of where his toned skin became a deep caramel. His hair was more erratic than usual and plastered down at the sides as if he had been wearing a hat. He looked every bit the country boy and Yugi could not deny that this was a good look on him.

“I’m Yugi.” He introduced himself as he sat up. Despite the small movement, he felt the weary ache creep back into his bones. He groaned slightly as he lamented internally at his body’s continued betrayal. At least his stomach was no longer upset. Little victories.

“Still not feeling well?”

“No, not great to be honest.”

Atem nodded in understanding. “Well, I won’t continue to bother you so you can get back to your rest. Is it alright if I place the the soup on the nightstand?”

Yugi nodded. “Thanks, Atem. It’s really nice of you. ”

“It’s really Mana you have to thank. She said to pass along her apologies and to tell you that eating will help get your strength back.” Atem relayed with a small fond shake of his head. “My sister worries.”

_They are siblings in this universe? How interesting._

Atem made it back to the doorway and gave him one last quick glance before closing the door behind him. Yugi let himself slink down further into the sheets for a moment, a large yawn wracking his aching body. Mana was probably right, food would help.

With a considerable amount of effort, he swung his legs off the side of the bed and turned his attention to the steaming bowl of chicken noodle soup on his nightstand. The savoury broth was comforting and light with just the perfect amount of salinity. It was filled to the brim with noodles, vegetables and large pieces of chicken in a way store bought could never imitate. It was pure comfort food and was exactly what his stomach and soul needed.

As he enjoyed his meal, he watched the wind rustle the trees around the periphery of the farm house yard. Atop the gradually sloping hill, Yugi spotted the stables he must have arrived in. Movement back down in the yard caught his attention, Yugi caught sight of Atem walking away from the house. He was making his way with purpose towards the stables. He had donned a jean jacket lined with a white fleece to fend off the cold and had tossed on a characteristic brown cowboy hat. He was not just a country boy. He was a proper cowboy. Yugi found the next spoonful of soup a little hard to keep from dribbling out of his mouth. He shook his head as if to force out the distracting thoughts that were vying for his attention.

A couple minutes later, Yugi watched as a horse tore away from the barn and down the hill, its rider assertively spurring it on. He smiled at the sight of Atem riding like the wind. He really seemed to be doing well in this universe, and seeing him thrive like this brought a wide smile to his face. After what he saw his roommate’s alternate selves go through, it was nice to see him not have to fight tooth and nail to survive and thrive for once.

The soup became merely a memory, and Yugi lowered himself beneath the quilt again to try to steal a few more minutes of sleep. He let himself be lulled to sleep by the fall breeze against the closed window and warmth in his belly and chest.

* * *

One again, Yugi’s sleep was fitful. His mind continued to try to process what had been going on in the last few days. The dreams he had were a little bizarre, filled with pirates, superheroes and butterflies. His doze was soon disturbed as he was startled by the sound of his door clicking open. For a brief second, he was disoriented.

 _Where am I?_ He looked up from his pillow to see Atem poke his head through the doorway.

“I brought you something else to eat. We had a late dinner, and since you missed it, we set aside some for you. I made you some tea as well.” Atem explained, bringing the tray in his hand into view.

“Oh, that’s really nice of you. Thanks.”

“It’s my pleasure.” Atem reassured lightly as he stepped through the doorway.

Yugi watched, letting his eyelids fall to slits as Atem quietly approached to set the tray on the nightstand. As he bent, his jeans pulled taught, showcasing his muscular assets that left little to the imagination. Yugi felt a flush creep up his cheeks as he averted his eyes. Despite his attempt to distract himself, those thoughts had already started to permeate and take root.

The tray now safely deposited, Atem stood up slowly, his profile caught in the moonlight streaming through the slats in the blinds. Yugi found himself calling out before he could even realize it.

“Uh, Atem?”

“Yes Yugi?” Atem turned to face him, his eyes merely crimson glints beneath his cowboy hat.

Yugi lost his tongue momentarily as their eyes met. “Uh, did Mana send you?”

“No, not this time. This was all my doing.”

Yugi blinked. Although the words were in themselves simple, his tone caused him to take pause.

“Anyways, How are you feeling now?”

“Ahh, better but still a little tired.”

Atem gave a small hum, his eyes unreadable. He pulled the chair over from the corner of the room and edged it towards the bed. “I’m sorry.”

“Oh, there’s no need to be sorry, you didn’t do anything. This was all me. ” Yugi tried to smile cheerfully, but he missed the mark. Something else crept into his smile and his cadence. He had just realized how close Atem was. He was so close that he could see the lines in his brow. The thin line made by his pursed lips. The ruby pools of mingling concern and an insatiable curiosity pulled him under. Yugi felt his flush descend, his skin searing beneath the quilts and blankets.

“Still I wish there was something more I could do to make you feel better.” The baritone voice filled the room and his ears, coursing along every one of his heightened nerves with an almost perceptible hum. Yugi’s fingers clutched involuntarily at the sheets.

He could think of one way Atem could make him feel better.

Yugi propped himself up to sit on the edge of the bed, his knees coming to rest a hair’s breadth away from Atem’s. Those pools pulled him further, a nebulous want simmering beneath their surface mirroring his own. That look further ignited something within him, his own desire breaking forth from its tenuous prison of willpower and denial. His rational mind very much taking a back seat, Yugi reached out, but as soon as his hand grazed Atem’s cheek, he found it much closer than he expected. He leaned in to match just as lips claimed his own.

He melted under the cowboy’s touch. Atem’s calloused fingers settled at the back of his neck, tilting his head gently to improve purchase. Those lips, although a little chapped from the elements, were all he had ever imagined and more. Addictive and entrapping, they brought forth something within him that he could not deny. They parted with a small sigh, a coaxing tongue met hungrily by his own. He felt more than heard the hum of approval as his tongue glided against Atem’s own. Craving more contact, Yugi draped his arms over Atem’s shoulders as he pulled himself onto his lap. Atem’s gasp grew into a moan against his lips at the notion, rough and filled with want. It was quickly smothered as Yugi deepened the kiss with urgency.

He found himself completely lost in the moment, skin feverish yet cool all at once underneath his pyjamas. His own moans complimented in concert with the hitched breaths he felt against his own lips, their shared desire spurring the growing ache in his pyjama pants. His nip at Atem’s lower lip brought out the most delicious sound yet. Hands pulled him even closer in response, fingers under the back of his shirt digging into the small of his back. As the swell and troughs of their kisses continued like waves in an ocean, Yugi’s hips started a rhythm all of their own. The noises Atem made in response were downright erotic.

Their kiss broke with a wet snap, Atem’s lips briefly leaving his own to paint his neck with open mouthed kisses, each hot breath stoking the fire that had been nearly burning out of control. Hands came to grip beneath his soft buttocks. In one smooth motion, he was lifted by those strong, country arms and tossed onto the bed.

“Atem!” Yugi giggled, his pulse roaring in his ears.

A devilish smile was profiled briefly in the moonlight before Yugi felt Atem lower himself onto him. The weight of his body against his was incredible. He roughly removed Atem’s hat and laced his fingers into Atem’s hair as the crimson eyed cowboy leaned down and kissed him senseless. Yugi was pulled body and soul into the intense and almost hypnotic kiss. The next few moments passed him in a blur, and he found himself on top, straddling Atem’s hips and staring down into his eyes. They begged for more and he wanted to give him everything. The emotion behind that sudden sentiment stole him away, as did the voice that called from afar, words indistinct and unintelligible. He paid it no mind. He moved to resume the kiss, but the call came again, this time louder and more coherent. He was being pulled away… away from Atem.

“Damn device.” Yugi mumbled as he clutched at his wrist. “You have to do this now of all times?!”

“Are you alright? What did you say?”

His eyes opened wide, pillow filling his vision. He closed his mouth and recoiled away from the puddle of drool on the pillowcase. He froze for a moment, eyes fixated on his pillow before finally turning to see if his fear was indeed true.

It was. Atem stood in the doorway, trying and failing to keep his expression neutral. From the twitch of his mouth and the gleam in his eyes, he was clearly amused. He carried a tray in hand, the aroma of stew coming from the bowl filling the room.

“Oh hmmm, what was I saying? Oh nothing.” Yugi tried to hide his embarrassment with a chuckle as he rolled off his stomach and onto his side. He nearly rolled all the way onto his back, but became aware of one very damning reason why he should not.

“How was your rest?” A brow arched.

No. _No._ Oh no. Had he? Mortification shot through him like an electric shock as he started to recall his dream. The noises he could have been making…

“Uh, good. Yeah. Was I, er, talking in my sleep?” Yugi hoped that his blush was not that apparent in amber glow of the setting sun.

“Not really. I did hear you groan a few times, though.”

_Well then._

“You still look a bit flushed, are you feeling feverish?” The amusement slipped quietly into worry.

“Ah, no. I think I just slept with a few too many blankets on.” He pointed towards the spare blanket, which thankfully supported his lie.

“Do you want me to leave this somewhere here or…?”

“Uh, on the nightstand would be great. Thanks Atem.” He smiled sheepishly.

The tray was left, and soon thereafter, his company did too. The stew remained untouched as Yugi continued to lay with the quilts and blankets bunched up around him while he waited for his embarrassment to pass. _Of course he had to be the one to walk in._ Yugi groaned a little too loudly. At least Atem did not seem to not mind, though. If anything, seemed to be merely amused. What a strange dream. A strange, absurd yet _amazing_ dream. A small shudder coursed through his body.

_No. What is going on with me? Why do I keep getting sucked into this?_

Ever since he went to the Egyptian afterlife, a question had risen to the forefront of his mind, threatening to burst the the bubble that he had recently realized he was in. Were all of these feelings he had towards Atem his own? Or were these Atems’ views of him, their reactions to him, swaying him to feel empathic to their cause? He could not deny that the way the pharaoh had looked at him when they first met would forever be etched in his mind.

Yugi pulled the quilt up further, tucking it underneath his chin. Not all of them were like the pharaoh, though. The Atem from the dragon dimension viewed him as an idiot that needed to be saved from himself, and the one from that dystopian world was still a little testy and withdrawn even by the end of the night they spent by that fire. Yet here he was, still feeling the same thing he had been ever since he had spoken to that demon at the crossroads. Unsettled in the most comfortable way possible. Nervous, yet filled with a strange resolve. But most of all, he could not get Atem out of his mind despite how each of these Atems had treated or viewed him.

Like right now. Despite having only talked to him for a few minutes, the Atem in this dimension had ignited those strange feelings in him anew. He had not even been flirting with him like the chemistry lab Atem had! He was merely courteous and benign, bringing him soup at the behest of his sister. But yet…

Yugi laid his forearm over his eyes with a groan. “It’s like I’m a teenager with a crush all over again.”

The warm, inviting aroma of beef stew lulled him out of his self-admonishment. He set aside his confusion and ignored the strange ache in his chest. Grabbing the spoon to take in his first bite, he found himself being grabbed by an idea instead. After all, he had slept most of the day away and was starting to get restless. A little company while he ate his dinner would be nice.

After taking a few minutes to compose himself, Yugi got out of bed and crossed the floor towards the dresser where the second set of clothes were. He changed into the clearly country ensemble with a small smile. The clothing fit him well. Mana must have grabbed some of Atem’s clothes for him to borrow.

He placed his dirty clothing in his backpack, which was starting to become filled to the brim with clothing he had procured along the way. After some thought, he decided to leave the river water stained black t-shirt and jeans in the hamper in the closet. Maybe this Atem would have some use for them. The bag now a little lighter, he tossed the backpack over his shoulder and grabbed the tray containing the steaming bowl and cup of tea. He retracing his steps down the stairs, past the part of the living room where he had encountered Mai and into what he hoped was the kitchen beyond.

White countertops wiped clean were sprawled against far wall in a large L shape, a dishwasher and oven set within. Above were oak cabinets kept in good condition. Cannisters containing flour, sugar and other baking supplies were clustered along the back edge. Little clay trinkets of roosters and cows provided a homey decor, but the most confusing art piece was a print hung above the sink proclaiming ‘this kitchen is for dancing’.

To his delight, he did not have to look any farther for company. Atem was sitting at the long oak kitchen table typing away on a laptop completely unaware of Yugi’s presence. His heart did a little flip, of excitement or embarrassment he was unsure.

“Is this seat taken?”

“Hmmm?” Atem looked up from his laptop. “Oh, I didn’t expect to see you up so soon.”

“Yeah. I just needed a little rest, it’s been a long time since I had some time to sleep. I’m feeling much better now.” Yugi explained as he sat down across the table from Atem. As Yugi took in his first mouthful, Atem closed his laptop and sat back in his chair.

“I heard the tale you told Mana and Mai…”

The unasked question hung in the air for a moment between the two.

“Yeah, I wish it wasn’t true. But this thing” — Yugi pushed his left wrist bearing the device forward — “is unfortunately very real. It just —”

“Honestly, I don’t really care _how_ you arrived here.” He interrupted, the bristle underpinning his words garnering Yugi’s full attention. “I just want to ensure that my family is safe. My sister and cousin are my world.”

“I am not here to hurt them.” Yugi assured quietly, hoping his sincerity would help put Atem at ease. “In fact, I’m going to set off as early as I can, maybe even this evening. Everyone here has given me more than enough hospitality, and I don’t want to be any more of a burden.”

Atem’s stern gaze softened incrementally upon hearing Yugi’s plan. He shook his head. “You do not have to leave tonight. It’s not safe and you’re in no shape.”

“I’m fine.” Yugi assured.

“Mana said she found you vomiting in the barn with a fever. She said you looked like death earlier today!”

“She’s exaggerating! And it was just motion sickness from this stupid thing.” Yugi argued, waving the device in Atem’s direction.

“So then explain to me why you just slept for fourteen hours?” Atem all but snapped.

 _Fourteen hours? I was out for that long?_ Yugi could not believe it.

“I… I haven’t had a chance to rest in a while. But I’m feeling better now.” He reiterated.

All he received in response was a glower and a hum filled with doubt. Reflexively, Yugi returned the sentiment although he had to admit Atem did have a point. He knew it was dangerous going out alone in the middle of the countryside at night, and really, he did not want to. But between Mai’s fear and Atem’s wariness, he was worried that his presence here was just continue to put them on edge.

“You are staying here tonight and that is final.” Atem proclaimed.

Yugi nearly laughed aloud at his tone. His Atem would use the same one when he’d catch him staying up late for a gaming session the night before an exam. Yugi could practically see the stern furrow as Atem would stand next to the TV and remind him of his academic obligations. Even though Yugi would usually feign irritation at such a gesture, he secretly always appreciated Atem’s concern. He was much too good to him, just like this Atem was right now. He did not have to be this way. He could have easily let Yugi walk out the door and into the night without a further word, thereby securing his family’s safety and his own. The flare in Yugi’s chest was nearly too much to bear, as was a indistinct realization that was being ignited by the errant embers.

“Are you alright?”

“Oh, yeah. I’m ok.” Yugi breathed. “Thanks. I guess I will stay for the night.”

“Good.”

They exchanged a quick glance before each returned to their tasks. When it happened, Yugi should not have been surprised, but yet, he was. The blue light was the first thing to start. It always was. As the room started to careen, Yugi alerted his companion.

“Actually, change of plan.”

Atem looked up from his laptop. “What…”

“The device is activating… I’m being pulled away.” Yugi shot him an apologetic smile as he gripped his backpack straps. “Thanks again for everything.”

He watched crimson eyes blink right at him in shock as he quickly blinked out of existence.

**Snap.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick shout out to my wonderful writing partner [auroraXborealis](https://archiveofourown.org/users/auroraXborealis). Thanks for your advice and thanks for making this fic 100x more fun to write than it really should be! If you haven't already, please go read what is effectively Catalyst's sister fic [Netflix and Chill](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25632946).


	13. Cruel and Unusual

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Does this mean he going to kill me?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 12: Crime AU
> 
> For those who do not know, I have a real soft spot for crime/crime-adjacent AUs, and have paid homage to this genre before in [a fic near and dear to my heart](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23580154). For this AU, however, I decided to take a different approach...
> 
> Warning: it gets a little violent up in here tonight, people.
> 
> Here we go!

**Snap.**

Darkness. It was so dark Yugi could barely see anything in front of him. The air around him was still, smelling of recent rain and ruin. As he caught his breath and waited for his disorientation to right, a different sense of unease set a chill running down his spine. Something about the quiet put his teeth on edge. As he stood there, something beyond the inky darkness started to alert him to the danger he was in. Yugi looked down towards the ground with a frown.

He was standing barefoot in a puddle. He had forgot his shoes in the past dimension!

“Well, this is just great.” Yugi muttered as he bent down and rolled up the cuffs of his jeans so they would not drag on the ground. He would have to watch where he stepped, which was going to be difficult in the dim lighting.

Looking for some sort of sign as to where he was, Yugi completed one full spin. Finally he saw the light. He was in a narrow alley way of sorts, his back now nearly flush against a grungy brick wall at least two stories high. A solitary streetlight winked at him from the end of the alley. If he strained hard enough, he could make out the sounds of vehicles in the distance. He knew he had to leave, nothing good ever happened in dilapidated alleyways after dark. Plus, he needed to find a set of shoes pretty quick.

He set on his way, pulled towards the bustle of the city by the promise of that one street light. At the end of the alley way, he was met by a small atrium where several other narrow alleys connected. From what he could gather, the sounds of civilization were coming from his right, so to the right he would go.

He took his steps gingerly, avoiding any patches of pavement that were fully obscured by the darkness as to hopefully avoid stepping on a needle or broken glass. So much of his attention was paid to his footsteps that where exactly he was going went largely ignored.

That was his first mistake.

“No, please!”

He heard the desperate plea just as he had been dodging a particularly dodgey puddle. Looking up from the pavement, he stared down the alleyway to his right in the hopes of finding the source. This corridor was very similar to the alley he had arrived in, only a little wider but just as dark. Near the end, he could make out three men standing in a cluster, all facing towards a wall across from them. A fourth man sat with his back against this wall, hands outstretched as if to ward off the other three men from advancing. Despite his attempt, the two nearest moved closer, their snickers echoing menacingly. Yugi’s next breath caught in his throat as he watched a fist pull back.

The beating that ensued was senseless and merciless. One of the men propped the victim up by his collar, driving his fist into the man’s nose. The other had taken a different approach, his heavy boot making swift contact with the the victim’s flank. Again and again the man was struck and bludgeoned until his cries faded to whimpers. Yugi was frozen in place, terror holding him hostage as he stared at the victim slumped on the pavement. The third man remained a short distance away from the ongoing assault, leaning against the far wall with his arms crossed nonchalantly across his chest. He had not moved a muscle since the beating started, his visage was merely a silhouette against the shadows, and had not uttered a word. In stark contrast, Yugi could hear plenty of hisses and jeers coming from the other two ruffians.

When the bloodied man could no longer groan, his assailants bent down and stripped his pockets of whatever he had. By their groans and curses, the man must have had little of value on his person. The man's wallet was emptied and cast roughly aside before the two goons looked up towards the third man standing behind them. The man, who must be their leader, pushed off the wall and strode across the alley. He nudged the unconscious man with the toe of his boot, his derisive snort ringing to fill Yugi’s ears.

“This will not do.”

Yugi’s blood ran cold at the sound of the voice. _No… this is all wrong. It can’t be. How…_

As if privy to Yugi’s internal thoughts, the man silhouetted in the alleyway looked up from the beaten man on the pavement. Crimson eyes captured their next victim.

“Now, who are you?”

Reflexively, Yugi started to run, no longer caring about where he stepped. His bare feet slapped the wet pavement, sending shock waves up his legs as he tore down the alleyway as fast as he could. Quickly, the sounds of his footfalls were joined by two others rapidly approaching from behind. A hand swiped, grazing off his backpack harmlessly. Two steps later, the hand tried again and found its mark.

“Ah, he—!” With a small yelp, Yugi was pulled back roughly.

Hands grabbed him, yanking the collar of his flannel and torquing his upper arm back. The hands held him firmly, but the grip that dread had on his chest was even stronger. The lights of salvation from the street started to drift farther away with each step he was dragged back. Yugi struggled against the hands that held him, but they were vice like and unshakable. After a moment of thrashing, he decided that his efforts were futile. He decided save his strength for when he was given a better opportunity.

Yugi was hauled around the corner and back into the alley way where the mugging had just occurred. After a few more steps he was violently jerked again. His captors tore off his backpack, causing him to stumble and fall back hard against the brick wall.

“Got him, boss.” One sneered. “The fucker tried to run, but his little legs didn’t get him far.”

“Three or four steps out of the alleyway, I reckon.” The British accent of the white haired man was all edge. “And look here! He’s got a backpack stuffed full!”

“Good.” The baritone voice of their boss filled the alley, savouring the word like victory upon his tongue. “Now what have we got here…”

Red eyes glowed from within the shadows along the far wall. The man took his first step forward and a shock of tricoloured hair came into focus. Usually this particular face would be a welcome sight, an anchor to help withstand the buffet of these dimension’s unknown waters. This time, he nearly recoiled at the sight.

The surprise and fear he had experienced when he saw some of his roommate’s alternates in the past was well surpassed by what he felt right now. There was something inherently so sinister about this Atem, his eyes slightly sunken and sanguine, languidly sizing him up like he was a pest caught in a trap. The dark clothing he wore was tattered but not from rough living. He wore ripped black jeans that fit him perfectly. A tailored dark blazer rested atop his shoulders, a black shirt and a fine golden chain resting underneath. His most noticeable piece, however, was an arrogance that he had never seen his Atem wear. This Atem knew he was indisputably in charge, and the way he presented himself told the world just that. As if to emphasize this point, the next words Atem spoke were dripping in his assumed power.

“You were not wise to run.” Atem’s eyes flared with an irksome anger. “You have some nerve thinking you could escape.”

His mind racing a mile a minute, Yugi finally caught hold of a few words that he hoped would be his salvation. “I, uh, I was just passing through. I’m nobody. Please let me go.”

“Do you really think that line will work with me?” Atem snapped. “Who do you work for?”

“N-no one!” Yugi internally cursed the stammer in his voice. He took a breath to steady himself. “I’m alone. I can give you whatever money I have just, please, let me go.”

Atem’s bark of laughter made him recoil. His shoulder blades dug into the wall as he tried to increase the space between them. That laugh was harsh and humourless. Gone was that delicate hum, that rich resonance he was used to hearing. The cold that permeated throughout this laugh was nearly too much to bear.

“‘Let you go’? Now why would I do something so foolish?”

The difference was so stark that Yugi could hardly believe that he was staring at the same person he knew. Well, maybe not the _same_ person, but a version of his roommate. Even in the other dimensions, despite their quirks, there was something that lingered underneath the surface that was quintessentially Atem. Although no matter how hard he searched this Atem’s deadened eyes, he could not see that glint beyond the dark veil that seemed to encase him.

Atem looked at him like a predator toying with his food, readying for the kill. His eyes… Yugi realized he was looking right in Atem’s eyes. There was no mask obscuring his face or the faces of his cronies. Yugi tensed, the chilling realization that Atem did not care to hide his identity gripping his mind.

_Does this mean he going to kill me?_

“I… I’m not a threat.” Yugi’s protest came out weaker than he had hoped. He needed to come up with a convincing reason to convince Atem to let him go in one piece.

“Not a threat?” Atem’s question raked across his soul. “You’re probably working for them.”

“For who— ah!”

His question was cut off abruptly as Atem closed the gap, pinning him swiftly against the wall. Atem’s forearm barred him in place, the pressure it exerted against his neck was uncomfortable, but not truly alarming. Not yet. That arm and their proximity made his heart race and brought every one of his nerves to fire at once in a confusing cacophony. His captors eyes darkened slightly, a sly smile spreading across his face. In response, Yugi uttered a choked, nervous chuckle. They lingered in this tableau for several moments before Atem finally spoke, his hot breath gracing against Yugi’s lips.

“You know who I’m talking about. Don’t be naive.” Atem growled. “The Blue Eyes of Chaos.”

“I don’t know who that is! Or… or is that some sort of gang?”

The arm pressed harder into his neck. “Do not play games with me, you will never win. Did Kaiba send you?”

“K-Kaiba?! I swear, I’m not involved in any of this! I’m not from around here!” Yugi’s voice strained in protest.

“The pipsqueak’s got a point, boss. Do you really think Kaiba would hire some runt to try to fuck with us?”

“It would not be beneath him to do such a thing.” Atem’s retort was much too loud in Yugi’s ear. When Atem began to address him once again, his voice descended into a low rumble. “You had better start talking before I decide to… make you.”

 _Make me?_ Yugi swallowed thickly, his heart hammering just beneath that arm against his throat.

As he stared into those hardened eyes, teeming and irate, he could not help but question how this reality had come to be. What had happened to Atem? Did something in his life push him in this direction? Or had he always been like this? The Atem he knew would never have the stomach to do such a thing…

_Or does he?_

Pushing that small, worrisome thought away for the moment, Yugi decided it would be best for his already tenuous sanity to focus on the here and now. This tactic did not work for long. Despite the imminent danger, and no matter how hard he tried, he could not stop thinking about this.

The differences in these Atems’ personality, approaches to life, goals, dreams, and duties… across these dimensions they differed incrementally or sometimes substantially from the Atem he knew. Maybe this Atem had grown up in a difficult household… or maybe without one. Maybe his home life was alright growing up, but he had fallen into a crowd that had stoked the dark coals that already resided within him. Or maybe this was not really who he was, but who he needed to be in this world in order to survive? How much of what he saw was who Atem really was at his core and how much of who he was in these worlds was molded and shaped by his environment and experiences?

As he pondered these questions, a conversation he once had with his Atem bubbled to the forefront of his mind…

_After a couple of beers one night with friends at the campus bar, Yugi found himself on their couch as talking about their childhood. Atem shared that he was an only child and cited his father as his main influence growing up._

_“My father is a high ranking government official and was often away for meetings, but when he was around during my childhood, he tried to teach me a lot about life.” Atem had said as he sat down on the couch. “He is never mean, but he can be strict and direct.”_

_“Really? That must have been tough.” Yugi rounded the couch with two glasses of water, holding one out for Atem. His roomate gratefully accepted and took a sip._

_“Sometimes. He wants me to be the best I can be. To be a leader like he is.” Atem brought his head to rest against the back cushion as he sunk further into the couch. “I just don’t know if I can do it.”_

_Yugi flopped onto the other end of the couch, his head light and foggy from the beer. “Sounds like a lot of pressure.”_

_“It is.” Atem had murmured. “He tells me he’s proud of what I have accomplished, but I can’t help but fear I’m not enough… and that I never will be.”_

_With a groan, Yugi sat up straight in his seat, turning to face his roommate dead on. “Atem! You are more than enough! You may not be exactly like him, but you are amazing in your own right.”_

_After a moment, Atem’s head lolled in his direction, bringing his small, easy smile into full view. Although his gaze was a little fuddled and buzzed, his words were surprisingly sober. “Thank you, Yugi. I needed to hear that.”_

_Yugi could not help but smile back. “Anytime.”_

“What is the meaning of this?! You have some nerve to ignore me when I am speaking with you.”

The snap in his ear burst him out of his thoughts while another sensation started a flood of thoughts anew.

A blunt object pressed itself into his abdomen just left of his umbilicus. Though his flannel insulated against the edge, Yugi still felt a flame ignite within his gut at the contact. A gun… Atem had just pulled a gun on him! His breath hitched as he winced, amethyst eyes widening.

“I suspected you may react favorably to this. Now, you must know that this gun not for show. I will shoot you if you don’t give me what I want.” Atem warned darkly. “Talk.”

“I can’t.”

“Why not?” The gun barrel dug deeper.

“Because I don’t know anything!” His voice cracked, any hope of composure slipping through his fingers. “I don’t know anything, Atem!”

At the sound of his name, the crime boss stilled. Yugi’s eyes widened as he realized he had made his second mistake. He said his name. He should not have any reason to know Atem’s name in this universe. This could be terrible, detrimental…

He gazed into Atem’s eyes, which had clouded over with confusion. The gun pressed into his gut could spell his end in an instant. All that needed to happen was a single pull of the trigger. That arm against his throat, choking him slowly with its pressure, could cut him off entirely. Or, if Atem did not want to get his own hands dirty, the goons could be brought in and left to deal with him how they saw fit. There were many ways that Atem could kill him in this moment, but as he waited for each possible outcome, they never came. Seizing the stillness, Yugi took a gamble, one that may possibly be his last. His trembling hand raised from his side to lay itself gently atop Atem’s hand next to his throat.

“Atem, please don’t do this.” He whispered.

The shot never came. Instead, Atem’s eyes widened and held his.

“How do you know my name?” The edge was gone. “No one knows that name…”

Yugi ignored the question, instead opting to press just a little further. “Atem, look at me. I know you don’t know me, but I think you know what I’m saying is true. I’m not involved in any of this.”

Atem did not say anything in response. His gaze was unreadable as he remained paralyzed on the spot, seemingly pulled deep into his thoughts.

“Uh, boss? I don’t know what going on here.” The man with straw coloured hair interceded. “Are you going to deal with him or should I?”

“I would also love to dispatch the twerp if you do not have the stomach.” The white haired Brit sneered.

“Back off, both of you!” Atem’s gaze flicked to the side as he uttered his low threat. “Do you forget who you are talking to? What I say goes.”

The growling low tone of those words seemed to tease at Yugi’s tense nerves, pulling them taught and holding him rapt like another arm pinning him against the wall. As soon as it seemed like the crime boss’ cronies were going to stand down, Atem’s eyes met his again. The edge was back. His simmering and intimidating look caused the tension within Yugi’s body to coalesce, melding into a shock that ran down his spine and settled low in his gut.

“I am going to ask again. How do you know my name?” Atem growled.

“It’s a long st—”

In a swift movement, the arm holding him in place shifted, the hand coming to roughly grab at his shirt. Atem spun and used the momentum to throw Yugi against the pavement. Yugi cried out as his head hit the ground with an audible crack, stars flashing before his eyes momentarily. He blinked quickly to clear his vision, and wildly started looking around for Atem and the gun. Standing just beyond his feet he found what he was looking for.

Atem stared down at him with his gun trained directly on its mark, the cool metal catching the dim streetlight. When Yugi finally pulled his attention off the object of his demise, he found hope unexpectedly.

A cloak of cold animosity poorly concealed the confusion and confliction behind Atem’s gaze. The gun wavered in synchrony as Yugi watched the animosity crumble.

 _He doesn’t want to shoot me…_ Yugi thought, allowing himself to relax slightly. _I may have gotten through to him…_

But as quickly as it waned, the animosity returned in full force. With a grunt, Atem took a stride forward and dipped into a crouch at Yugi’s side to press the barrel of the gun into Yugi’s cheek.

“Do not fucking look at me like that. I do not know who you are, and you do not know me.” Atem warned, his voice like ice. “Do you understand me?”

“Yes.” Yugi breathed as he averted his gaze to the pavement just beyond Atem’s boot, not daring to say anything more.

The gun was held there for a moment before it was withdrawn. To his surprise, that boot was also withdrawn. Several steps echoed in the alleyway before Yugi dared to look up.

“Malik, Bakura, let’s go.”

“Boss, are you really going to leave him here alive?” Malik’s face contorted. “Have you gone insane?”

“He is no one. He is not worth the bullet.” Atem snipped before quickly changing the subject. “Did you find anything in the bag?”

“We found his wallet and took his cash and credit cards. But otherwise it was just filled with some junk, toys and shit.” Malik relayed.

“Alright. Leave the bag. It’s time to go.”

“Boss…”

“Do as I say, Bakura!” Atem roared.

“What the fuck has gotten into you tonight, pharaoh?” Bakura muttered under his breath. Despite the show of distaste at his superior’s behavior, he turned to walk out of the alleyway. With a grunt, he threw Yugi’s backpack unceremoniously against the wall.

Atem shot a preemtive murderous look towards Malik, prompting the other henchman to fall into line and obeyed his order. Atem took a couple steps forward, but stopped his departure as the other two backs turned the corner. He turned around.

“Are you alright?” Atem’s voice was barely above a whisper.

Yugi stared on dumbfounded. “I-I’m ok.”

Atem took a look over his shoulder briefly before continuing. “You nearly blew my cover saying my real name… I’m sorry, I had to make it look realistic.”

Yugi blinked. “Oh… you’re a—”

“Don’t say it out loud.” Atem cut him off with a whisper. “I don’t have time to explain and I’ve got to go, but here…”

From the inner breast pocket of his blazer, Atem handed Yugi a small wad of cash.

“To replace what they took. I had better not see you around here again. Next time you may not be so lucky.” The words were hard and authoritative, but the look on Atem’s face was much less so. Without waiting for Yugi’s answer, he turned to walk quickly would of the alleyway and into the night. Once Yugi could no longer hear footfalls, he let himself start to shake.

He was terrified. Absolutely shaken to his core. He had just been held at gun point and robbed by a man who had the same face as someone dear to him! Even though he appeared to be on some sort of undercover mission, it was still real. It was all so real.

Yugi let his eyes flutter closed as he focused on calming his erratic breathing. With every breath he took in, he could feel the point where the gun had dug into his abdomen ache. It almost felt like a phantom of the weapon was still there, pressing into his skin. He raised a hand to rub at the spot, reassuring himself that he was indeed safe and alright. Despite his own unease, he could not help but wonder if Atem would be alright too. He took quite a risk coming back to check on him. Hopefully the two other men had not caught on…

Yugi shook his head slightly. There was nothing he could do now. This Atem was on his own, just like he was.

After a few minutes sitting in that alleyway collecting himself, his palpitations settled and he rose to his feet. He counted the bills that had been quickly thrust into his hand, and was pleasantly surprised when it amounted to $83. Enough for a few meals at least.

As he knelt down to check on his backpack, he was relieved to find that they only took his money but left the remainder of his belongings untouched just as they said. Without hesitation, he zipped up the bag and made his way out of the alley.

He finally reached the streetlights and made his way down the populated street. Despite being late, there were still quite a few people milling down the sidewalks. He passed by several shops that were closed for the evening and a couple of bars before deciding to enter into a small 24-hour diner for a quick meal.

The diner looked like it had been lifted right from the seventies. Vinyl coated nearly every surface in various shades of neon colours, with the only part of the diner spared being the worn wooden display case behind the bar-style counter. On his way towards the barstools, Yugi thought he even spied a jukebox sitting in the corner. As he hopped up onto a stool, a middle aged waitress that looked like she had been thoroughly wrung out by the tolls of life shuffled over to take his order with the enthusiasm of someone filing their taxes. With the knowledge that his time remaining in this dimension was unknown, he decided to to something he had never done before: order dessert before his dinner.

He eyed the display case of baked goods, opting for the carrot cake over the sweet potato pie. As he put in his order for the cake and a coffee, he could not help but chuckle to himself. His mother and grandfather would not be amused in the slightest. Atem would probably understand, though. Or at least, he would not make too much of a fuss outwardly about it.

The cake and coffee arrived quickly and Yugi did not waste any time. It was absolutely delicious. The cake was moist, its spiced note mingled delightfully with the tart cream cheese icing doing. It did wonders to salve his uneasy soul. He splashed a little milk in his coffee and washed down the sweet treat.

Just as he was scraping the last smear of the cream cheese icing from his now empty plate all the while debating ordering another piece, a light caught the corner of his eye. With a groan, he gulped down the rest of his coffee and grabbed the coaster advertising the ‘Ovaltine diner’ and slapped down a few bills. He sat there as the world spun around him once again, waiting for the inevitable…

**Snap.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can say with certainty by the time you see this, I will still be thinking of carrot cake. You know who you are.
> 
> [My Tumblr](http://atems-leather-pants.tumblr.com).


	14. Do I wanna know?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What are you doing here… and where are your shoes?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 13: Rock Band AU
> 
> Oh hey there! Long time no update. I have had a few other fics pulling my attention in the last couple of months, but never fear! My plans for Catalysts cannot be derailed. I have so much in store for this story and I cannot wait to share.

**Snap.**

The sea of people churned around Yugi, a turbulent current pulling those afloat in different directions. Some people slowly made their way through the stream, while others seemed pressured, practically jogging towards their destinations. Unintelligible calls and orders were occasionally heard over the baseline hum that filled the large, concrete-walled hallway where he stood just far enough to the side to not get steamrolled by the overzealous.

“—wenty minutes, I need —” A man murmuring into a headset passed by on his left, his words swallowed by the almost racuous chatter.

Yugi took in a slow breath as he tried to gather his bearings. Thankfully, his dimension-shifting motion sickness rapidly settled to a dull roar, so finding his them was not nearly as difficult as it had been in the past. Finding his footing, however, was considerably harder.

A girl ran into his chest at a speed indecent for the indoors, sending Yugi careening backwards into a man coming up behind him. With a yelp, he ricocheted like a pinball off the larger man and stepped right into the path of a third person. Hands firmly grabbed him by the shoulders and spun him around.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing, man? You’re holding up traffic!” The young man scolded, his brows furrowing beneath his brown spiked hair. His voice dripped cockney, and was so loud it stung Yugi’s ears. A lanyard and ID rested atop his black T-shirt, which partially obscured the words ‘Mind Crush’ emblazoned on his chest in jagged letters.

“Uh, sorry. I’m just passing through. I’m trying to figure out where I need to go,” Yugi explained smoothly. These vague explanations were starting to become second nature to him. Although they were still only intermittently effective.

“Get out of here? You’ve gotta be kidding me! Not so fast.” The man sniffed before spinning him around to push him towards a set of boxes. “Carry these over to room 318, will you? The show’s about to start in a half hour and this shit needs to get gone!”

Going with the flow was also starting to become instinctive. “Uh, yeah, sure sir.” Yugi looked over his shoulder, but the man had already moved on and had been swallowed up by the crowd.

Well, this was not the first time that he had been put to work in one of these dimensions, nor would it be the last. This task seemed easy enough. At least it was not being tossed into the deep end at an IT customer service call center. He shuddered lightly at the memory. That universe had not been all _that_ bad, though. After all, there had been….

Atem.

A pang of guilt flared beneath his sternum at the thought of that Atem, soulmate suddenly ripped from him and alone once again without any hope of an explanation. Yugi’s hand instinctively went to the inside of the wrist not held captive by the device. There his fingertips ran over the almost imperceptible stylistic eye that still marked his skin like a tattoo completed in white ink. As the memory unfurled in front of his eyes, a melancholy creeped in from the edges of his mind to colour those gut wrenching words he could never forget in a morose cerulean.

_“You… it’s you. I’ve found you.”_

That which had bent now truly broke. A swirl of emotions he could not begin to process rose to capture him and pull him under. All the while, he could only stare at the boxes just beyond his bare feet with unseeing eyes. He had not thought of that Atem in a while…

A shoulder clipped his, bringing him harshly back to reality. The contact prompted him to complete one slow turn to take in the rest of his new environment. He was in the middle of a large hallway, its concrete walls adorned with many frames and panels that extended up towards the ceiling at least two stories above. The hallway was filled with many people wearing lanyards and ‘CREW’ t-shirts. Some carried armfuls of equipment, while others spoke into two way radios to the crackle of static. Across the hallway, Yugi glimpsed a line up of concert posters, the most interesting of which was a band that he did not recognize: Tsunami. For a moment he could not take his eyes off the shirtless and harpoon-weilding frontman who stood amongst a series of computer generated waves.

That’s it. The crew shirts, the posters… he was in a stadium. He was backstage at a rock show. If that man’s shirt was any indication, the band playing tonight was Mind Crush. Who knows who they were? There was no band to Yugi’s knowledge by that name back home. Although really, this was the least of his concerns right now. It was time to get back to work. Might as well help out while waiting for the show. He turned back to address the boxes, which were overflowing with cords and other electronic equipment that he did not have the foggiest about.

Yugi stacked up as many boxes as he could carry and started off through the crow towards room 318. It was quite the task. People came at him from all directions in various states of spacial awareness. Twice, his boxes were nearly sent to the floor. Good thing they were not, as he was sure their contents could break one of his exposed toes should they be sent flying.

“I can’t believe I forgot my shoes.” Yugi muttered under his breath. Despite the lamenting words, a small smile pulled at his lips. This would definitely make for a good story later… should anyone believe him that any of this madness happened.

He turned off from the main hallway, following the prompting of a helpful overhead sign. He walked by rooms 310, 312, and 314… there! 318. Yugi opened up the door handle with his elbow and pushed his way in.

Was he given the wrong room number? This had to be the wrong room.

This room housed various items and electronics for the touring band. Many of these electronics were of the likes of which he had never seen before. Many were stacked precariously atop one another, while trunks and boxes littered the floor in organized chaos underneath. These items, however, were not the most interesting thing in the room.

Pressed up against one of the shelves were two men seemingly engrossed in a conversation. A conversation of sorts, that is. The slightly taller of the two stood facing the frame, his arm braced above his head on a shelf as he leaned down slightly towards the man against the shelves. His tricoloured hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail, golden bangs springing forth. His ears had been pierced almost everywhere they could possibly be and adorned in a slew of rings and bars. The man’s angular features were so very familiar, but what was not familiar was the large, heavy swatches of dark makeup around his eyes, making them appear dramatic and sunken. His only article of real clothing were a skin-tight pair of leather pants that distractedly hugged each and every asset. Despite his nearly salacious attire, his chest was arguably more distracting, which was bare except for a simple silver chain with a pendant that hung between his pecs. After some effort, Yugi managed to pull his gaze off this universe’s Atem and onto the man he was having an intimate conversation with.

Oh.

Two amethyst eyes rimmed in similar dramatic face paint peered around Atem’s braced arm, blinking at him in surprise. This Yugi was dressed every part the rock star in a partially torn sleeveless purple crop top and tight dark pants with a multicoloured blue and violet handkerchief sticking out of the back pocket. Yugi recognized a choker almost identical to his own around the other Yugi’s neck. In no way could he imagine that his counterpart could play any sort of instrument easily with the sheer number of rings on his fingers and bangles on his wrists.

“Great, now the groupies are trying to impersonate you,” Atem commented mildly, his crimson eyes flitting between the two Yugis.

“You know, I’m sort of flattered.” His counterpart’s confusion faded as he turned to smile at Atem. “Usually it’s _you_ who they pretend to be.”

Atem’s soft chuckle ignited a similar reaction in both Yugis. “Yes, the perks of being a guitarist. But they really have to stop sending them back stage like this. What are you doing here… and where are your shoes?”

The question was directed at the less made-up Yugi, who pulled himself together quickly in the hopes of a coherent and convincing response. “I was told to deliver these boxes here. As for the shoes, ah, it’s a long story.”

Atem did not seem appeased. “Well, I’m curious and you’ve already interrupted us.”

 _Interrupted?_ The flush across his cheeks returned as the thought permeated. Nope. Cannot happen. For his own sanity he could not think of these sorts of things now.

“Uh, they got ruined,” Yugi lied. After all, telling them that his runners were left on a farm somewhere in another dimension was certainly not going to lead him anywhere good. “I didn’t have time to grab another pair before, uh, work today.”

Atem opened his mouth to inquire further, but this dimension’s Yugi beat him to the punch. “Oh, that’s too bad! You should have really asked —”

Knock, knock, knock.

The raps on the door frame behind Yugi started both Yugis, their heads swinging around towards the source of the noise. At the sight, Atem’s displeasure faded into a mirthful smirk.

“Kaiba, don’t you have something more… important to be attending to?” Atem prompted, eyes flicking towards the door.

“I could ask you the same thing,” Kaiba retorted, lips pursing into a thin line. His usually kempt hair was toussled as if he had come in contact with some serious static electricity. It was almost comical how parts stood up on end. His long black leather jacket adorned in studs nearly skimmed the floor despite his tall stature. Similar to the two other men in the room, his face also bore similar face paint. Icy blue eyes flicked between the Yugi at Atem’s side and the Yugi in the doorway in confusion. “What fresh hell…”

“Just delivering something,” Yugi offered as an explanation, giving the boxes in his arms a light shake, “I will get out of your hair.”

His hair. Oh his _hair_. That untamed mane was something that the Kaiba in his universe would not be caught dead with! Yugi suppressed a chuckle. Clearly still as scrutinous and astute as his counterpart, this Kaiba seemed to clue in to the source of Yugi’s amusement much too easily.

“What are you looking at, twerp?” Kaiba grunted, gaze hardening when he heard Yugi’s minute hitch.

“Oh, it’s nothing,” Yugi beamed reassuringly at this certainly absurd version of Kaiba and set down the boxes in the corner.

“Hmph. Anyways, I did not come here to chat. I came here for you, Yugi. You’re needed by the manager.”

The musician in question blinked. “Now? It’s almost show time.”

“I could pose the same question to the two of you.” Kaiba’s lips twitched north.

Atem bristled. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Kaiba,”

“You’re a terrible at lying, Atem.”

“You’re much worse —”

“Could you two stop this at least for one night?” This dimension’s Yugi sighed his request.

“I could ask the same thing. You two can’t seem to stop your hands from —”

“For the last time, there’s nothing going on, Kaiba.” Yugi’s cheeks rose to a cherry hue. “Now can we please go find Tea? I’d hate to leave the fans waiting.”

“I believe your words even less than _his._ ” Kaiba nodded back towards Atem. He received a disapproving shake in response before the crimson eyed man moved to inspect the contents of the boxes.

That palpable tension started to dispel the second that Kaiba and this dimension’s Yugi left the room. Talk about contentious! If their get-ups were anything to go by, these three were clearly in the band about to play tonight, Mind Crush. He hoped their music was more harmonious than their mix of personalities. To Yugi’s eye, it seemed like band dynamics were strained. To put it lightly. It was not a surprise, though. He suspected that his Atem and the Kaiba from his world would not see eye to eye either. Yugi idily wondered how they managed to stay together as a band amidst this sort of animosity while he made his way back to the door.

“Wait.”

The single word stopped him in his tracks. “Hey. What can I do for you?” He responded.

“It’s not what you can do for me… you’re still without shoes. I think we should find you a pair.” The helpful question was parried by an unexpectedly helpful offer. The strain in Atem’s brow had relaxed, and now he merely looked imploring.

Well, he was not expecting that. After the less than enthusiastic greeting, he was expecting to be largely ignored by this Atem, not offered something he needed. Boy, was he wrong.

“Oh,” Yugi breathed, before pulling himself back together with a smile after the surprising offer. “That would be great! Thank you.”

Atem merely nodded and started walking towards the door. Yugi hurried to catch up, falling into stride at Atem’s side as they made their way back down the hallway. They walked in silence for a few moments, Yugi wondering if he should dare to break it. However, he was struggling, grasping at straws at exactly what he would say to this version of his roommate. Luckily, he did not need to figure that out himself, as Atem spoke again just as they rounded past a few administrative offices.

“So, what is your name?”

Once again, the truth would not set him free in this case. That sort of attention would not help him. Not in the slightest. He would likely have to spend a lot more time than he had trying to explain that he is indeed Yugi and not some deluded fan who convinced himself that he was the same person as a musician. So instead, he spoke the easy answer.

“I’m Heba,” Yugi said, offering up the name given to him in the past by his doctor counterpart sometime ago. “Nice to meet you.”

“You as well, Heba.” Atem’s small smile cut through his nerves.

Soon they found their destination. A room adorned with a golden glittery star, the name ‘Yugi’ in bold lettering housed within its margins. It was a classic dressing room door, not entirely unexpected. However, Yugi could not help but feel an odd sense of intrusion looking at the door to his counterpart’s dressing room. Was it really intruding if it was technically your room?

“Yugi has to have another pair of boots that you could use,” Atem postulated as he turned the doorknob. The door was propped up by the rockstar, and a flick of his hand in towards the room signaled that Yugi should enter first.

Yugi stepped into the small dressing room. It was fairly generic, as to be expected. A cloth folding chair sat in front of a counter top, a discarded and forgotten hoodie laying across its back. A couple trunks were situated beside the make up station, their lids closed over what was likely a whole set of outfits and costumes for the show. Besides this preparation equipment, the room was fairly empty. It made sense. A touring band would have little time to settle in, so the amount of clutter and extraneous items would be kept down to a minimum. The only other notable items in the room were a few personal effects which had been organized with care on the counter top of the dressing station. A selfie of the band without their stage make up had been printed and framed, depicting the group standing in a park on a sunny summer day. The man taking the picture was very familiar. It was Joey, one of his best friends back home!

These dimensions never ceased to amaze him. Despite the seemingly random drops the device seemed to precipitate, Yugi always wound up finding someone he knew. In almost all of these universes, it was often Atem whose friendly face would help pull him back from brink of disorientation and disparage that each new shift would bring. Although, he also seemed to cross paths with versions of his other friends from back home as well.

What were the chances?

How was this possible?

“Here, take these. They are Yugi’s back up pair, I’m sure he will not miss them too much tonight.”

Yugi looked back towards Atem, who was holding up a pair of black Doc Martens boots, their smooth leather catching in the harsh flourescent light. They hung suspended in his hand before Yugi finally accepted the offering.

“Don’t forget socks,” Atem reminded Yugi right before a pair hit him squarely in the chest.

The boots were a perfect fit and the thick socks were comfortable. Finally, he could stop thinking about where he stepped and bask in the glory of warm toes once again. Never in his life did he expect to derive so much joy from a pair of boots.

“Thanks Atem.” Yugi shot the other a smile so warm that it sent a look of pure confusion pass across the other’s features. Yugi watched as Atem slipped into the perennial professional he must be in this universe as he put on a genial, yet distanced smile of his own.

“It was no problem. Now, you should really get back to your job and I should do mine.”

Atem was right, the show must go on. Not needing any further prompting, Yugi nodded and rose from the chair. “Break a leg!”

Atem’s eyes snowed in confusion. “What did you just say?”

Yugi paused for a moment before repeating the phrase, uncertainty slipping into his words. “Break a leg…?”

Atem’s scowl returned. “Now why would you wish I do that?”

 _Ah. They must not have this saying in this universe._ Yugi remarked internally as he stared into those mildly offended crimson eyes. “Oh, sorry. It’s just a saying from where I’m from. It means ‘good luck’.”

“What an odd way to convey that sentiment,” Atem uttered, his perturbance easing to mere perplexion.

“Yeah, it sort of is,” Yugi agreed as he made his way to the door, “Thanks again, Atem.”

“It was my pleasure… Heba.”

* * *

His new boots squeaked lightly against the finished concrete floors of the stadium as he made his way towards the lower bowl. He was lucky to have found a discarded crew ID card, and with it around his neck, he was able to pass in and out of anywhere as he pleased. Despite his purposeful steps, he was not searching, only merely buying time. He might as well see how his counterpart, this Atem and the remainder of the people he knew fared performing as a band as he waited for his inevitable next shift.

Just as he was rounding section 108, the lights dimmed and the ambient beat shifted. The crowd fed off the cue, their rapturous applause filling the air as the sounds from the stage quelled. For a moment, the stage went dark, and the crowd fell into silence. Anticipation built, straining like the ears waiting for any indication of what was to come. Then it came. The base exploded, lights danced and guitars wailed.

It was time.

The four members of Mind Crush stormed the stage in a frenzy, the energy from the crowd feeding their own fervor. Atem was the first to storm the stage in little other than leather pants, his hands deftly handling the glittering red laquered electric guitar slung across his shoulder. Kaiba was next to enter, his coat billowing behind him as he concocted a rich, deep bass line to accompany the wails of guitar. A spotlight illuminated the band’s drummer, Joey, his scrappy blond hair whipping as he made rapid, energetic beats to add to the growing symphony. Finally, the last of the band members appeared and crossed the floor to applause towards his intricate keyboards and synthesizer panels. Yugi grinned as his counterpart contributed the final melody to complete the encompassing song.

Riffs evolved, improvised yet harmonious. After a tense yet complimentary back and forth between the guitar and the base, the notes fell into place. The crowd rose to another height, people springing out of their seats while the mosh pit below became tumultuous like a sea in a storm. Yugi could not help but grin as he was pulled in head first into the shared excitement from his vantage point. Although he was removed from the pandemonium, leaning against the concrete pillar just beyond the entrance to sections 107 and 108, he was still right there. He did not know the melody nor the words to the song being played, yet it reached out and touched him. Beyond the inherent excitement and electricity that this grunge synth metal seemed to bring forth, this music also summoned something else from within.

A memory.

_The snow had just started to melt, leaving behind sloppy sidewalks and marshy brown lawns that Yugi had to navigate through on his way home from classes. He did not care though. He was so spent, run through the proverbial ringer, that he could not bring himself to care about a little mud on his boots. All he wanted was to go home, have a hot shower and sleep for nothing shy of a thousand years._

_Midterms suck._

_Although he was sure he had passed this last exam, it still was one of the most taxing tests he had written in university to date. Computer science 443 was known to be a GPA killer, but Yugi was certain he had done all he could to best the behemoth of the artificial intelligence course. But he had to admit, his own braincells were fried in the process._

_On nearly robotic feet, Yugi opened up the door to his shared apartment. For once, he did not hear the usual muffled sounds of his roommate playing a few rounds one one of their many video game consoles. The apartment was quiet. His usual called greeting was not returned. Atem must be out._

_It was probably for the best. He knew he would not be the greatest company in this state anyways. With a practiced efficiency and a murmured apology to his absentee roommate who would surely stumble upon this mess before he had a chance to clean up, Yugi tossed his bag, coat and boots all into a haphazard pile by the door and made his way towards his room. The air should have been knocked out of his lungs with how hard he flopped onto his bed, but thankfully, the plush mattress was forgiving. Not two seconds after his head nestled onto pillow were his thoughts swallowed up, caught in the pull of the plush dreamland he surrounded himself with._

_Several raps on his door yanked him from his slumber abruptly. He blinked away the sleep, head rising out of its fog as it rose from the pillow to stare at the door to his room._

_“Hmmm?” was the most articulate response he could muster._

_“Are you… alone?”_

_What sort of question was that?_ _“Yeah, Atem. Come in!”_

_The door creaked open and a pair of crimson eyes peered in, back lit by the hall light spilling around around his silhouette. Upon finding him, partially obscured by dark and duvet, the worry behind those eyes softened incrementally._

_“I’m sorry for waking you. I can leave you be.”_

_“Oh no, it’s ok! I was just catching up on a bit of sleep this week had stolen from me.” Yugi reassured, a yawn punctuating the end of his sentence. He pulled himself up to sit amongst the sheets._

_An understanding nod._ _“How did your midterm go?”_

_“It went alright. Hmmm… but enough about me. Are_ you _doing alright? You seem a little_ _… tense.” Yugi observed. The rigidity in Atem’s shoulders spoke to the weight of the thoughts he knew Atem was carrying. Usually Atem was, at least outwardly, calm and collected. However, every once in a while, the man let his inner turmoil slip. Yugi found himself wishing he could take a little of the weight onto himself, but Atem often would brush off any of his offers to help. Just like Yugi was sure he was about to now._

_“Oh, yes. I am.” The response was steady, but yet, Yugi was not settled. “I actually was stopping by because I had something that I, ah, wanted to ask of you.”_

_A question?_ _“Sure, Atem. What do you need?”_

_“It’s not so much what I need, it’s more of a question of what do you want.”_

_With every sentence uttered by his roommate, three more questions popped into Yugi_ _’s mind. “What are you talking about?”_

_“Ah, well, I won one of those Student’s Union raffles. You know the ones, with the, uh, prizes.”_

_A very specific statement. More questions jostled for Yugi_ _’s tongue._

_“Well,” Atem carried on, “I just won a couple tickets to see that alternative rock band, Exodia. I know that you are a fan and I was, ah, thinking we should go.”_

_Exodia! No way! What sort of luck was this? Yugi could barely contain his excitement. It was a no brainer! Of course he would like to see one of his favourite bands. He had objectively the best roommate in the world._

_“You want to take me?” Yugi asked, his excitement seeping into every word and turning up the wattage on his smile._

_“Of course. There’s no one else I’d rather go with.” Atem beamed right back._

_“You are the best friend ever! Thank you! I’d love to go with you!”_

_A brief moment hung between the two as Atem stood in the doorway. A trick of the light played with the contours of Atem_ _’s face. It came as quickly as it went, and before he could even fully register the strange occurrence, Atem’s smile shone again as strong as ever._

_“The show is a week from today.” Atem’s rich voice filled the room. “Now I will let you get back to your nap, if you can even fall asleep again after all this excitement.”_

_Yugi chuckled as he flopped back onto his pillow._ _“Thank you again, Atem.”_

_The door clicked closed._

The drum solo filling the stadium shook his ribcage as much as the memory had. At the time, he had viewed the gesture as merely a thoughtful action by a roommate. An offer of a good time from a good friend. If what he had realized throughout this whole insane endeavor was correct, he had… Yugi shook his head roughly, a strange mixture of warmth and embarrassment dancing across his skin and mind. Atem… was he was trying to ask him out? These events would have almost been comical if it was not for how Atem must have felt if this were indeed true. He was so oblivious. So clueless.

He tore his gaze from the rock show to fall unseeingly onto concrete floor as he tried to recall Atem’s face. That one in the doorway obscured in shadow.

What was really going on behind that smile?

 _Do I want to know?_ Yugi asked himself. 

He bit his lip. He needed to get home and tell Atem… what? There was so much he wanted, no, _needed_ to say. The words continues to pile up, jumbled and stacked precariously like a long-run game of Jenga. All the while the memory continued, playing like a film through his increasingly restless mind until it was derailed by the terminus of that day. What he suspected now made what happened on the night of the concert all the more embarrassing.

How do you fix this?

What was he going to say?

The bass line pulsed. The flashing lights were joined by another, pale and blue. Yugi did not even have to look anymore. He knew what was coming. So instead of glancing at the device, he took one last look at the stage and at the three people he knew and the one that he was.

**Snap.**


	15. Treat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So what brought you here tonight?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 13: Vampire AU
> 
> Long time no read! My collaborative project and my subsequent insanely busy month is now done, and guess what that means? Another chapter! Sorry for the wait!

**Snap.**

The bass line was exchanged for another. The complex rhythms of the rock show were gone, a steady, guttural and almost salacious beat now in its stead. The lights had changed too, becoming an almost disorienting swirl and pulse in the dark. The usual apprehension and terror that came with a shift were compounded as Yugi began to acutely feel the effects of his recent interdimensional travel. He could not decide which was worse: the initial vertiginous pan of the lights that made his legs feel like jelly or the subsequent flash that spiked his headache.

 _Come on, shake it off!_ Yugi screwed his eyes shut. He willed the painful throbs away as he reached out to the nearest solid object to steady himself. He knew the drill, he had to push through this so he could make sure that he was not in any immediate danger. After all, he had been chased by scoundrels and nearly eaten by dragons enough for one life and would like to avoid these situations again at all costs. Who knew what this new world would bring?

Right now, all it seemed to bring is bass.

_Thum thum thum thum_

From the noise and lights, Yugi would not be surprised if this place turned out to be a nightclub or something. He tentatively cracked one eye open yet again.

Definitely a club.

So close they could graze him, people in various states of undress milled in and out of the throng. Beneath the coloured, flashing spotlights, an oscillating pack moved like a hivemind in synchrony to the beat.

Yugi swallowed hard. He had never been all that interested in clubs, especially not being in clubs all alone. Sure, he had some good nights in bars surrounded by good friends and drinks, but there was nothing quite as unsettling as being left to your own devices with what had to be nearly a thousand strangers. To be lonely despite a crowd.

Yugi ran a hand through his hair as he scanned the room for his options. He did not recognize a single soul. It was probably best for his sanity leave here as soon as possible. After all, he would likely be stuck here for a few hours at least, and it would be nice to find a quiet place to grab a bite and relax before his next foray into the inevitable dragon slaying in the next dimension.

He pushed off of the bar and strode into the dark. Each step he took forward felt strange, like the floor resided just beyond his soles. The flashing lights were disorienting, creating an atmosphere that felt like he was standing on the edge of a cliff, every neuron at the ready.

He did not know where he was going, or even in which direction he should head. Soon, however, he found himself letting go, allowing himself to be pulled forwards by the delicate repetitive beats of the synthesizers. He dodged and weaved through the crowd, narrowly missing being stepped on by a particularly inebriated girl dancing as if this were her last day on this planet. Her eyes caught his, almost magnetic in their pull. He held up his hands and uttered a sheepish apology before continuing, but after making it a few steps away, he could swear he felt eyes still on his back.

_Thum thum thum thum_

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught movement. He had almost missed it, the perpetually moving bodies around him desensitizing him in a way to what was going on around him. However, this movement stood out from the rest. It was different. Sudden. Fluid almost. An inky shot, slipping through the dark.

_What was that?_

He spun his head in the direction of the oddity, but saw nothing except for dancers bathed in colourful oscillating lights.

“Strange. I could have sworn I saw something,” He let out a small sigh. “These dimensions must be getting to me. I’m seeing things.”

He rubbed at his cheek, turning to the side just as a shoulder slammed into his own. As he turned to see who contacted him, his eyes found a man towering over him, beady black eyes above a scruffy beard that was several days due for a trim.

“Watch where you’re going, pup.” The man’s voice was like gravel, words sharp as a knife.

Now, Yugi had seen some things ever since coming in possession of this device. Dragons, pirates, heartbroken telekinetic superheroes. All undeniably scary yet wondrous things. This man, however, set his teeth on edge, and for a moment as he stared into those eyes almost gleaming in the dark, he was transported back to that alley way. The dingy, waterlogged asphalt pressed against the soles of his bare feet. The faint smell of sewage and overripe dumpsters…

His hand instinctively came to rest on his abdomen. He could almost feel that gun still pressed into his flesh by the man with crimson eyes.

“S-Sorry, won’t happen again!” Yugi chirped as cheerfully as he could muster. Before the other had a chance to respond, Yugi pulled away and vanished into the cover of the crowd. He was not going to stay to talk with that man. Something about him screamed danger. _Wrong_. By now, Yugi knew to trust these gut feelings and ask questions after he had found safety.

He passed a throng of scantily clad women gyrating against one another, strange dark pint glasses in their hands catching the light with every movement. Their movements were so smooth. So effortless. Mesmerizing.

_Thum thum thum thum_

A finger beckoned. Yugi blinked.

“Come on in cutie, we will show you a good time.” A voice like a fine wine called out to him. Goregeous and enchanting grey eyes winked in his direction, the woman’s hand sliding up along another’s thigh. “You’re a little delicious thing, aren’t you?”

 _Wrong! There_ _’s something wrong._ The rational part of his brain screamed as he stared at the women. They were inciting the weirdest response in him. They did not look particularly threatening, only intimidating. However, he could not help but wonder what was lingering beneath the surface.

“Uh, sorry. I’m just on my way out.” Yugi scratched at the back of his head, taking a step backwards and promptly running into a man dancing behind him. He uttered his apologies to the room in general, as he tore his eyes off the women and the man.

A hand grazed his back, fingertips skimming down the flannel he wore.

Yugi nearly ran.

“Come on!” The protesting whine was swallowed up by the beat and the bodies placed between them. He paid those words no mind as his own was already made.

 _There!_ Yugi was finally out of the woods. At this terminus of the dance floor, a darkened hallway unfurled in front of him, its course seemingly infinite. Above its entrance hung a standard illuminated exit sign. Well, it was definitely a way out, and from what he could tell from his initial scan of the room, this one seemed the most promising.

 _Well, time to find out._ Yugi thought to himself, suppressing a shiver. There was something wrong about this place. He could not shake the feeling that eyes were on him, cutting deep to peer through flesh. A part of him wanted to run down this hallway and never look back. Although when he looked back over his shoulder, everyone was minding their own business. He even caught a glimpse of the group of women, who had all turned back to one another. No one was watching him. Had all of these brushes with danger made him paranoid?

“It’s just a club,” Yugi muttered to himself, adjusting his backpack. “There’s nothing weird about it.”

Even if so, he was more than ready to get out of there. With every step he took, the sounds of the club started to die down. Soon he was swallowed by near complete darkness, the only light source were muted blue pot lights embedded above the alcoved doorways along the hall. He turned his head to look at the doorways as they passed. All were closed and none were marked with their contents or to where they lead.

“Oh…”

A muffled sigh, delicate and soft met Yugi’s ear, causing him to nearly jump back. He looked around, until he saw the back of a head lean out from an alcove. The messy white hair bobbed slightly, light pants filling the air before a hand came to grasp the corner of the wall. Another sigh, louder this time was punctuated with a gasp.

Yugi stopped dead in his tracks, unsure if he should keep going. He had to find the exit, and surely if he passed by quietly, he would not be interrupting.

Right?

He took a step.

In a blink, a face appeared beyond the hair, silhouetted by shadows. The features were mostly obscured, everything except a shock of white hair and those eyes. Those shining, red eyes.

Yugi’s heart stopped. Fear mounted as his knees weakened.

 _What the hell is that?_ The eyes he was staring into were unlike any he had seen before. They could not be human…

He felt his face prickle as the blood rushed away. The man wipe at his chin with his sleeve. He wanted to move, _needed_ to move.

But before he could, those eyes were upon him.

“Now what have we here?” Teeth were bared, gleaming sharply in the dark. “You look downright _delectable_.”

 _Delectable?_ He had been called many things throughout his life, but that was not one of them. Another thing was for sure, he most certainly had never been called _anything_ with that tone. It held a hunger that chilled him to his core. This situation, rife with tension and plagued by the unknown, should have further rooted Yugi to the spot. Strangely enough, Yugi found himself empowered.

He had faced worse. _Lived_ though worse. This man eying him like a prime cut of steak was nothing special. Just another another roadblock on his way back home.

Yugi sucked in a breath.

“Thanks, but I’m not on the menu,” Yugi said evenly, nodding back to the man’s companion who was looking around the corner with eyes as wobbly as soft yolks. Most of his features were also obscured, but the need behind the man’s gaze was more than apparent. “He seems like he’d be up for seconds, though.”

“You’re not on the… oh, you have some nerve talking to me like that, small fry!” The man sneered. The light was playing tricks again. Those irised flared like gunpowder set alight. A hand darted out but Yugi dodged just in time, taking a nimble step back.

“I’ve got to go!” Yugi’s eyes flicked down to that hand and back up to the eyes of its owner. Before the man had a chance to respond, he turned around and walked back in the direction from where he came.

His heart hammered in his chest as his ears strained for any signs of pursuit. This blatant denial was a gutsy decision. If he was actually in a universe where something supernatural and dangerous could be looming just beneath the shadows’ surface, this could very well be the last decision he ever made. There would have been a time when he would have cared. When he would have tried to do the cautious and ultimately safe thing, but throughout all of these interdimensional escapades, he had taken a backseat in many of these situations. It was about time he started to stand up for himself, and to not always rely on others to do the brave and courageous thing.

His footsteps rang out alone in the hallway until the approaching music became loud enough again to cover. The surge of confidence he felt growing in his chest was quickly extinguished by a thought. Or rather, a memory he would rather forget. Yugi’s small smile twisted into a grimace.

He just wished that he had started becoming like this some time ago. Some time ago when…

_Thum thum thum thum_

Yugi shook his head roughly as if to dislodge the thought. He already had enough tumbling through his mind, he did not need to add one more source of pain and confusion to the mix. Even though it had been some time, old wounds still stung if prodded hard enough. Or at least, this one did.

Yugi refused to look back, but the fact that he had not yet been yanked back by his collar into the shadows had to be a good sign! If he had made it this far, he was going to be left alone. As Yugi pulled up to the bar, he folded against it with a small sigh.

“Well, I can’t go back that way,” Yugi muttered to himself, “there has to be some other way out… if that was even the way out in the first place.”

Planting his palms and pushing off, Yugi spun to once again map out his options. His shove almost propelled him into an absolute sight to see.

“Be careful, some people don’t take too kindly to rough housing here.”

Although his voice was usually deep, this version’s seemed to absolutely drip decadence. Yugi stared unblinkingly into crimson eyes. So he had finally found this dimension’s Atem, and if he could say, he looked rather similar to his own. The other’s hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail and was wearing a black leather jacket that his Atem would certainly love. This Atem painted on his eyeliner a bit thicker, and he was unsure if it was just a trick of the light, but every colour the man he knew was was usually adorned with — crimson, gold, black, bronze — seemed ashen. Despite their desaturation, his eyes held just like he always had.

“Can I buy you a drink?” Atem offered casually.

It was a forward, yet simple offer, holding none of that familiarity or closeness that his Atem’s offer would have held. That was something that he would give his right arm to hear again.

 _Maybe someday,_ Yugi thought to himself.

In the meantime, one drink with this Atem could not hurt. Maybe he could show him the way out too?

Yugi patted the barstool next to him before hopping up onto his own. Atem quickly joined him, and before they could even utter another word, a bartender seemed to appear in front of them.

“So what’ll it be, gentlemen?” A toothy grin from the bartender seemed to poke at the disquiet Yugi could not seem to fully shake. The bartender briefly looked at Atem before settling on Yugi. “You first.”

Yugi blurted the first alcoholic beverage that came to mind that did not contain rum, a gin and tonic. The bartender seemed mildly amused by this selection before turning to Atem. “Your usual, Atem?”

Atem nodded his agreement, holding up his index finger.

“Ah, good choice. Would not want to overdo things before tapping into the top shelf stuff.”

The cryptic comment was left to hang, and once the bartender had moved out of earshot to craft the drinks, Yugi turned back towards his companion. “So you must come here often enough for the bartender to know your usual, Ate-Atem was it?” Yugi quickly tacked on an uncertain tone. They had not been formally introduced, and he saw how disastrous that could be if he let on that he knew Atem’s name.

“You could say that.” Atem said with a deep, rolling chuckle, words barely audible over the sound of the club beat. “A lot of us here are regulars. You must be new. What is your name?”

Yugi nodded, his fingernail scratching at the counter’s varnish. “I’m Yugi. Yeah, I just stopped by to check this place out.”

“So, did you come here alone?”

“Yeah.”

“How very brave of you.” Atem’s smirk was mischievous. “Not many people would come here for the first time without backup.”

Yugi pondered his answer for a moment as he tried to make sense of that edge to Atem’s smile. He had seen the shadows and light of the man he knew, but these shadows were unlike before. Instead of being harbingers of imminent danger, these shadows seemed to permeate and pool deep within his gut, stirring the flutter that Yugi had come to feel every time he saw Atem now a days.

His flannel started to become a little too warm.

_Thum thum thum thum_

The beat of the bass dropping reverberated through his chest. As he tried to collect his thoughts, he caught the bartender out of the corner of his eye as he delivering their drinks. In one fluid motion, one carbonated highball for Yugi was set near his elbow and another drink in a tall dark pint glass identical to what those women had been holding appeared in front of Atem. The glass was nearly opaque said for a barely perceptible fluid line. He watched as the other raised the drink to waiting lips. Atem took a large swig, ending it with a satisfied sigh.

Atem licked his lips as he returned his attention back to Yugi. “So what brought you here tonight?”

“I, uh, was drawn to this place for some reason.” Yugi stumbled slightly over the half truth. He knew what brought him here, but the inherent question of _why_ still remained to be seen.

This seemed to please Atem, his eyes sparkling with a curious mirth. “Well, there is a lot that goes on here that could be of interest. I see you already met Bakura.”

Yugi scrutinized the other for a second. Bakura? Was he referring to that strange white haired man? “Are you talking about that man in the hallway?”

Atem nodded. “He likes to meet his treat here often. I wonder if they’re going steady?”

 _‘His treat’? So that must have been his partner looking around the corner,_ Yugi thought to himself, his blush becoming even more ruddy at the realization that he had definitely been intruding on something intimate. Although that kind of made sense, Bakura calling him delicious was definitely strange. If that man was indeed trying to go steady, his behaviour spoke well against that…

The sound of a glass contacting the wood snapped him out of his musings. Atem pushed his empty glass back towards the bartender with a friendly smile. When Atem turned to look back at him, the sentiment behind the smile changed.

His breath caught.

That look. That look sent his heart a flutter and shot his composure into the stratosphere. He had seen a similar one recently. Well, dreamed it…

He swallowed.

“Well, you know, we are all deserving of a treat every once in a while.” Atem shared his own musings aloud, a hand gently capturing Yugi’s on the table. “And you look like you haven’t been treated in a while, Yugi.”

His name on the other’s tongue sent a shiver through his body more than that cool hand in his ever could.

“Yeah, I g-guess not.” Yugi replied. He did not know this Atem, and who knows what this Atem was even like or what his motives were. In this moment, Yugi found himself not caring. It was time again to be brave. He was going to throw caution to the wind and not sit on the sidelines.

Atem stood up from his stool, his hand remaining in Yugi’s. “We could get that treat, if you wish.”

“Sure, lead the way,” Yugi blurted the words in a hurry.

The other seemed thoroughly pleased as Yugi left his drink, still untouched, to join his side. Atem nodded and gently tugged Yugi in the direction of the dance floor. Yugi followed this version of the man he knew into the throng and across the paths of the the wandering lights. The colours flitted across the world around him in an almost disorienting fashion. Even though he was completely sober, Yugi felt himself losing control. The world beneath his feet was rooted steady, but yet he was not. The bodies around him shifted like a tumultuous tide around him, pulling him into their own current. As he was pushed, Atem pulled.

Held.

He suppressed a shudder of anticipation as Atem turned around to face him. Those irises that once appeared dull and ashen flared to life as he neared. For a moment he felt Atem’s breath, strangely cool against his cheek. The other leaned in a little further to drop a kiss light as linen behind his ear.

“Is this alright?” Atem whispered, so close his nose nuzzled against Yugi’s ear lobe.

Yugi tentatively reached out to slide a hand through Atem’s hair. When Atem responded with a hum that nearly resonated into his own chest, Yugi gave his own response. “Yes. Please keep going.”

“Just tell me if it gets to be too much.” The other pulled away slightly so a gracile fingertip could trace a path down the slim musculature of Yugi’s neck. “I see you’ve been handled with care before… if ever at all.”

_What does_ _…?_

The question never had a chance to form before being swallowed whole.

Atem’s lips returned to that spot just behind his ear, this time firmer and more decisive. Yugi was just a little too slow at biting back his gasp. They kissed and sucked at that sensitive skin while Yugi’s muscles started to lose tone. His breaths became shallower as Atem’s hands settled around his waist, fingertips firmly pressed into his hips. Soon, his heart started to race like the lights around him, picking up to beat in time with the heavy electronic beat.

_Thum thum thum thum_

Atem’s breath graced his skin in pants, lips finally leaving that spot to drag slowly, teasingly down the angle of his jaw towards his neck. He heard Atem’s sigh as he stopped to hover just above his pulse, fluttering away beneath his skin.

“You’re perfect,” Atem hummed, dropping the lightest of kisses against that quivering pulse. His skin erupted in goosebumps at the touch.

Yugi reached down to cup the side of Atem’s face, pulling him upwards again so they could meet eye to eye. A restless and wired energy seemed to take hold, fraying his nerves and ripping into his patience. His eyes flicked down towards Atem’s lips. They were so close. All it would take was a couple inches and those lips would be his, like he had been dreaming about since he realized what could be. Sure, this was not his Atem, but this _was_ Atem, and right now, he did not care to contemplate semantics.

It was time to put himself in the driver’s seat.

Yugi closed his eyes and leaned in, but just before he met Atem’s lips, a finger pressed into his own.

With a start, Yugi pulled back. “I-I’m sorry. Did I just, ah, read that all wrong?” He stuttered, embarrassment quickly taking hold.

Atem, however, did not seem at all fussed about Yugi’s advance, his eyes still magnetic. “You certainly read it right. But perhaps we should start with the reason why you’ve come here in the first place? I’m sure it would put us both in the mood.”

Atem’s salacious purr was nearly too much for a public forum. Thankfully his words were quickly engulfed by a beat, left only to live on in Yugi’s mind as a specter of what was to come. In fact, that suggestion was nearly so potent that Yugi almost forgot that it made little sense.

What exactly did Atem think he came here for?

Atem hooked a finger into Yugi’s choker, pulling it down to expose more of his neck. With a hum Yugi could practically feel, Atem started to kiss and lap at his pulse point.

It felt absolutely amazing.

Under Atem’s touch, Yugi began to melt again, his hands grappling at leather and the nape of Atem’s neck. Fluttering and flooding, his body started tingling, completely held captive under Atem’s expert tongue.

“Ahh, Atem, wow,” Yugi found himself nearly moaning, “You’re amazing at this.”

Atem hummed against his skin, before pulling away slightly. “Tell me if this gets to be too much.”

“Yeah, ok,” Yugi responded, turning his head slightly so Atem could have better purchase.

Atem found skin again. The latch built, growing in intensity by the second. The skin beneath Atem’s lips started to ache, pushing Yugi into a strange yet beautiful agony. Then suddenly, that ache became sharp. A jolt flooded Yugi’s system as teeth dug into that swollen spot, causing his eyes to open wide.

_He_ _… he’s…_

Atem’s bite deepened, a muffled moan sending ripples through Yugi’s body. The tingling sensation burst, a spark becoming a flame. Euphoria and energy like he had never felt before took root, and as it did, his senses amplified.

The lights, once blurs in the darkness became crisp like beacons homing in. Beyond the beat, he could now hear the sounds of hundreds of soles scuffing against the floor in time. He could hear Atem’s hand rasp against the hem of his shirt before his cool fingers found the skin beneath. The alluring smell of sandalwood, pine and sweat the other seemed to emanate was starting to drive Yugi insane.

_What_ _’s going on…?_

Quickly, his clothing began to push him towards madness. He could every small bead of sweat at his temple, perched tenuously in an ongoing fight against gravity.

Even though his senses were heightened beyond belief, the sharp pain at his neck quickly died down to mere pressure. Atem’s lips remained where they were, his slow sucking rhythmic and almost soothing.

_Wow._

Sober, yet intoxicated, mind muddied with sensations and need, he firmly knotted his hand in Atem’s hair. He needed him to keep going. He needed those lips, those…

“Really? Here Atem? Please have some decorum.”

The familiar voice froze both men to the spot. With a groan, Atem pulled away to address the newcomer. A man with wild white hair had appeared next to them, his arm draped around another’s shoulder.

"Well, I've seen you do the same before, I'd have thought you would be the last to judge," Atem noted curtly.

Bakura merely scoffed. "Of course, but what is this about the nobility of action you often preach? Your disdain for this sort of animalistic behaviour."

"He's consenting, I am not cultivating or taking advantage of dependence like some _others_ may." Atem retorted, nodding in the direction of Bakura’s companion.

Yugi followed the direction of Atem's nod. Behind Bakura stood another white haired man, meek and unassuming. His gaze was dopey, slowly alternating between Atem and Bakura. Even though this man's mind seemed light years away, that face rooted Yugi's right here. Right now. He stared mutely, stuck on this familiar face that brought back so many memories.

Ryou. It was Ryou.

"Ryou..." Yugi blurted in shock.

The man in question slowly looked towards him, breaking out of his daze to shoot Yugi a strange look. "Uh, hello there. Do I know you?"

 _Shit._ No, this Ryou did not. He cursed his words as three sets of eyes stared at him in expectation. He had to think of something quick!

"Sorry, we met briefly a long time ago. I don't expect you to remember me." Yugi lied, sheepishly scratching at the back of his head.

Ryou's confusion dissipated. "Oh, alright. I guess it's nice to meet you again...?"

"Yugi."

”Yugi, " Ryou repeated.

At the sound of his name, he fought to remain his composure. It had been a while since he had heard it said from Ryou.

_Oh Ryou..._

“Well, now that the desserts have introduced themselves to each other," Bakura waved his hand dismissively between Yugi and Ryou before turning his rapt attention on Yugi, "I have to say, I thought you weren't on the menu, so to speak.”

Yugi swallowed hard. "I'm still not."

"But you're on his?" Bakura arched a doubtful brow.

He did bring up a point. Everything in his better judgment screamed to not let Bakura anywhere near him. There was something about him. Something otherworldly. He was certainly dangerous, and with the way he was necking Ryou, he had to be a creature of the night, a vampire, like...

... Atem was.

Yugi caught himself, his current train of thought screeching to halt. Atem posed a similar threat. He proved that with what they had just… did back there. Yugi's hand fluttered to his neck where the two puncture marks at his carotid that were still wet with saliva, but thankfully not bleeding at the moment. So if Atem was the same, a vampire, why was he still inclined to trust him? Why was he trusting someone who could end his life on a whim?

His eyes caught Atem's. Even though this version's were more ashen and muted, they still held that gentle worry he has seen his Atem wear. The concern that caused his heart to leap up into his throat.

Deep down, he saw a spark of the Atem he knew. He was the same

The oscillating lights were joined by one more, pale blue and becoming stronger by the second.

"Yugi?" Atem's question did not need elaboration.

"Ah, right. This one came quick." Yugi looked down to his wrist where the device had begun its pre-shift glow. "I've got to go."

"Go? Where? Now?" Atem’s voice rose.

"These are all questions I ask myself every single time." Yugi shook his head. Oh well, maybe this time he was heading home? Despite his ever present hope, his optimism was starting to wear thin.

The blue light intensified, prompting Yugi to screw his eyes shut.

Here we go again.

**Snap.**

**Author's Note:**

> [My tumblr.](https://atems-leather-pants.tumblr.com)


End file.
